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by Crocodile
Summary: After the fall of the prison Rick and Carl are forced onto the road. While Rick recovers from his injuries, Carl encounters a survivor only a few years older than himself. Despite his friendly nature, this young man hides some dark secrets. Is he a new threat, a new ally, or something else?
1. Time Lost

**SEARCH**

**TIME LOST**

_Screaming. The unmistakeable high pitched cries of people in distress echoed around him. Below the piercing note of screams was the dull chorus of undead groans. The shambling undead corpses that were surrounding and biting into those screaming people. The smell of rotting flesh filled the air and assaulted the senses. One of the many tents had somehow caught fire, the smell of smoke taking to the air and a thick blanket of black smoke obscured their surroundings. Gunshots cracked through the horrific noise signalling some of the people's last stands against the monsters that had invaded their camp. He heard it all as he ran, his heartbeat ringing in his ears almost as loudly as the terror unfolding behind him. His hand squeezed round the hand of his companion as he led them both to temporary safety. _

_What seemed like hours that had passed had probably only been minutes but it didn't matter to him. All he knew was that he couldn't hear the screams or the groans or the gunshots anymore. He saw a building in his peripheral vision and guided his companion towards it. Pulling out a hatchet he ran up to the front door of what was previously a family's home and kicked the door open. The inside of the house was dark. The moonlight couldn't penetrate through the double layer of slate and tree branches above. He grabbed the dust-covered answering machine and tossed it into the room ahead of him, the noise of its landing deafening in the silence of the night. A single deathly moan came from the same room as one of the corpses revealed itself by stumbling towards the source of the noise. He moved forward swiftly and buried his hatchet in the back of the creature's skull. The monster dropped to the floor with a thud and silence returned. _

_The body was heavier than he expected it to be, causing him to groan in effort as he dragged it out of the house through the front door. He left it on the front porch, deciding it was better to move it in the morning light than in complete darkness. He walked back into the house and closed the door behind him. He wrapped his arms around a book case and groaned in effort as he moved it in front of the door as a makeshift barricade. He turned around and took in the sight before him. His companion was sitting in the middle of the room, cradling their knees in their arms as tears streamed from their eyes and rolled down their cheeks._

_He knelt down in front of them._

"_It's okay, we're safe for now." He told them in an effort to calm them. _

_His companion continued to cry however._

"_I'm sorry about the others but maybe some of them survived." He suggested._

"_It's not that." Came the choked reply. "I was bit."_

He awoke with a start, a sudden noise having roused him from his painful memories. He looked around him, taking his surroundings as his short term memory started to kick in. Wooden panels surrounded him, spider webs in the darker corners and a layer of dust covered most surfaces. He looked out the grime covered windows and saw tree branches and the hints of sunlight. That's when it all came back. He was in a treehouse. He shifted and winced as the handle of the trapdoor beneath him dug into his back, forcing him to sit up-right.

He yawned and rubbed the sleep out of his blue eyes before pushing his messy brown hair back into place. Then the sound erupted again from the distance. It was the sound of an explosion. He listened closely and could make out the faint echo of gunfire. It sounded like a war. Grabbing his backpack, labelled "Jason", he reached for a bottle of water and took a drink of it before stuffing it back in the bag. Reaching into the bag again, he took out a small book along with a pencil. Jason used the pencil to mark a new tally mark on one of the pages of the book before closing it and putting it back in his backpack. He lifted a brown leather jacket from the floor, put it over his black, long sleeved top and zipped it up. From the other side he picked up his holster and clipped the belt back round the waistband of his dark cargos before placing his handgun back into the holster. From the pockets of his leather jacket he withdrew a pair of black leather fingerless gloves and put them on. Getting down on one knee at a time he then tightened the laces of his black boots before slipping the strap of the backpack round his shoulder and opening the trapdoor of the treehouse.

Jason slowly climbed down the ladder that had been built into the tree-trunk and checked his surroundings. There was no sign of any undead which didn't come as a surprise as they would all be drawn towards the sounds of battle in the distance. Despite the obvious danger and the stupidity of his decision, he allowed his curiosity to get the better of him and headed towards the battle.

By the time he had reached the source of the chaos the explosions and gunshots had come to an end. A thick cloud of dark smoke rose into the air as an equally thick chorus of undead groans echoed all-round the area. Jason kept himself hidden within some bushes and observed the area that all the corpses were marching to. It was the remains of a prison, the fences were now down, and fire was whipping out of holes in the walls and some of the windows. The courtyard was filled with bodies and the walking dead. Abandoned cars also littered the area and in the prison's main yard there was a burning tank that was surrounded by undead trying to get to it. Most of the undead were marching through the courtyard up to the tank and into the ruins of the prison blocks. His eyes scanned the area for any signs of life and came across one figure walking through the grass of the courtyard. It looked like a woman and she was walking towards a body that was writhing on the ground. Jason watched her as she shot the head of the body before looking around herself as all the nearby corpses swarmed her and tore her apart. He averted his gaze as she went down and by doing so he spotted two figures heading into the foliage. They looked injured and vulnerable, their pace slow and broken by the limping of one of the figures. Usually Jason would walk the other way but it was clear that what had happened here was not from the undead but from people versus people. At the very least he could learn something from them and if they were hostile he could easily kill both of them given how weak they appeared. Checking his surroundings for corpses, he started walking in the same direction as the figures he had seen.

* * *

><p>Carl marched down the leaf covered path with haste, his gaze focused ahead of him at all times. A few feet behind him, a beaten and blooded Rick followed him, limping from the gunshot wound to his thigh. The area was quiet and free of walkers but because of the severity of his injuries, Rick was starting to fall behind. His leg burned from the gunshot wound despite having applied a tourniquet using one of his shirt sleeves and the injuries to his face, left eye and forehead throbbed in agony. He grit his teeth from the sharp pain in his side, he guessed some of his ribs were broken.<p>

"Carl." He called out weakly. "Slow down."

His adolescent son ignored his request and continued walking at a constant pace, far too fast for his broken body to keep up with.

"Carl, stop!" Rick bellowed, pain evident in the hoarse nature of his voice.

Carl finally stopped walking and stood still but continued looking at the road ahead.

"We need to stick together. We need to find a place." Rick told him as he finally caught up. "Food, shelter, supplies."

Carl refused to acknowledge his father, so Rick placed his bandaged hand on Carl's shoulder.

"Hey, we're gonna be…" Rick cut himself off as a result of the angry look his son gave him.

Carl looked ahead again and continued marching on with Rick limping in pain behind him.

* * *

><p>The walker snarled at Jason as he made his approach through the dense vegetation. It started to approach him with stiff, unbalanced steps as it poorly navigated the maze of plants, roots, branches, and rocks. Jason marched towards it and took out a knife from a sheath on his belt. Once the walker was in striking distance he side-stepped the beast and stabbed the knife forcefully into its temple. Once he pulled the knife out the body dropped to the floor lifeless. He grabbed a large leaf from a tree and broke it at the stem. He folded the leaf over his knife and used it to clean the blade of walker blood before sheathing it again and discarding the leaf.<p>

Jason burst out of the foliage onto an old path. He turned left and started walking down it, grateful for the total lack of undead or hostile living. As he made his way down the path he came across a patch of mud that contained recently made footprints. The footprints belonged to two people, one wearing flat shoes and the other wearing boots. He smiled and let out a sigh of relief, it looked like he hadn't lost the trail of the two figures he saw back at the prison. Taking this as a sign he continued his journey with renewed vigour.

* * *

><p>Carl and Rick had gathered some supplies and had now entered a small neighbourhood that appeared to be a ghost town. No signs of people or walkers though looks were always deceiving. With over a dozen houses any number of walkers could be hidden behind those walls.<p>

The pains in Rick's side, face and leg continued to throb and sting as constant reminders of the existence and extent of his injuries. The sun was getting low in the sky, a sign that in a couple hours it would be dark. They had to find shelter and the most obvious place would be one of the houses laid out before them.

"Hey." Rick tried to get Carl's attention. "Hey!"

Carl continued to ignore his injured father, however and kept walking. He was prepared to walk past another house when Rick spoke up again.

"Hey!"

Carl stopped and slowly turned around to look at his father as the man finally caught up with him. Rick nodded towards the house they were standing in front of.

"That one's as good as any." Rick declared with laboured breaths.

Silently agreeing, Carl took out his handgun from the holster on his thigh and walked towards the house, closely followed by Rick. When they reached the front door they discovered that it had previously been broken down, the lock splintered. They stood on opposite sides of the doorway as Rick put down their supplies and took out his revolver, wheezing as he did so.

"Quick and quiet." He told Carl, staring at him. "We need to clear it before sundown."

Rick shoulder barged the door as they both quickly stepped into the front room with their guns raised. The room was empty and silent, giving Rick time to close the door behind him as Carl began to venture off to one side of the house. The silence made him feel uneasy, even more so when he couldn't hear his son.

"Carl." He called out but unsurprisingly did not receive an answer.

Rick wheezed as he hauled himself towards the hallway and caught sight of his son who had his gun raised and was walking down the hallway slowly.

"Carl!" He called out again.

"I got it!" Carl finally responded. "All the doors down here are open."

To Rick, that was several doorways that walkers could come out of at the same time and overwhelm him and his son. As injured and weak as he was, along with being a father, a fear of that very thing happening crept into Rick's mind.

"Just stop!" Rick ordered him before Carl could take another step.

Carl lowered his gun and turned around, slamming his fist against the wall.

"Hey asshole!" The boy shouted, his face filled with rage. "Hey shitface!"

"Watch your mouth!" Rick shouted back angrily.

Carl gave him an incredulous look.

"Are you kidding me?" He glared at his father. "If there's one of them down there, they would have come out."

Rick stood in silence. He couldn't think of anything to say as he was struggling to find the energy to stay in control of his son but also because he knew that what Carl had said was true. The house appeared to be free of any walkers. As Carl headed upstairs, Rick entered the kitchen, still with his gun raised as an act of caution but discovered it to be empty as well. He holstered his revolver and closed the fridge door. Carl was right. He searched the kitchen drawers for potential weapons and managed to find three knives.

Carl explored the rooms upstairs but every door that opened revealed an empty, abandoned room. By the looks of things this neighbourhood had been one of the first to evacuate, so only the essentials had been taken and everything else had been left behind. He walked into another room and was amazed at what he saw. The room had obviously belonged to a teenager, the walls painted a dark green but mostly covered in posters. Books, sports clothes and other items littered the floor with a skateboard next to the fireplace. Carl turned around and his eyes widened at the sight before him. A large HD television with an Xbox 360 hooked up to it, the headset balanced on the corner of the television and below it a stack of games cases with a controller. He marvelled at the sight of this artefact from the pre-apocalyptic world before catching sight of his own reflection in the TV screen. Reality came back to him in a flash forcing him to knock some of the games to the floor and take the power cables out of the console and television. They needed something to lock the front door with.

* * *

><p>Jason sighed as he continued on his path. He had just crossed over some train tracks and was about to enter what looked like a small neighbourhood. The road was covered with dead leaves and there were no signs of any life. There weren't many cars in view either. He figured most of the residents got out in the early days as the only cars he could see had obviously been involved in crashes, most likely during the initial panic. He remembered those days too vividly for his liking. His stomach growled, a reminder that he hadn't consumed anything the entire day except for a few sips of water and the burning in his legs told him he needed to rest soon. He ran a hand through his hair and observed his surroundings. A ghost town full of undamaged houses.<p>

"I'm spoiled for choice." He muttered to himself and headed towards one of the homes.

Jason approached the front door and turned the handle but it didn't open. The door had been locked by the original owners of the house during the start of the outbreak.

"Figures." He sighed in irritation.

He looked around for any walkers or people. The street was empty. He turned his attention back to the door and kicked the lock with as much force as he could muster in his leg. The lock gave way and broke, the wood of the door splintering as it swung open and banged against the wall. He stepped in and closed the door over but delayed barricading it. There was no way of knowing if the door had been locked from the outside or the inside. The occupants could have all committed suicide and could now be lurking in one of the rooms.

Jason took out his knife from its sheath and held it tightly in his hand. He stepped into the house and started whistling a little tune while listening out for anything out of the ordinary. The house appeared to be completely vacant. Reaching the other side of the house he checked the backdoor but it too was locked. He ascended the staircase and took note to sniff the air but the smell of rotting flesh wasn't present. He stopped at the top of the stairs to find all the bedroom doors open. He continued whistling but there wasn't a sound apart from that. Smiling in success he returned to the front room and barricaded the door with the two couches that were there.

Jason sat back on one of the couches and closed his eyes for a moment, giving himself time to think about things. Here he was in some unknown neighbourhood on the trail of a couple of strangers who could be dangerous. He reminded himself he had nowhere else to be or anywhere planned to go to so he could afford to do this. His stomach growled again, interrupting his thoughts and forcing him to open his eyes. He opened his backpack and pulled a plastic container which contained fresh fruit that he had picked from trees on his way there. He decided to allow himself half of the contents for dinner with the other half for breakfast in the morning. He would need to go on a supply run in the morning too.

* * *

><p>Carl used the power cables to tie the door handle to the curtain hook while Rick looked out the windows at the dark street to check for any potential threats.<p>

"Find anything?" He asked his son who ignored him.

"Check the backdoor?" He asked but was ignored again.

Grinding his teeth in irritation he walked over to the far end of the couch and started pushing it towards the door, grunting in pain and effort as his leg and side couldn't supply the strength required to move it.

"I tied the door shut." Carl told him, turning around, annoyed at his father's lack of faith.

Rick peered up at him from behind the couch.

"We don't need to take any chances." He retorted and attempted to push it again.

"You don't think it will hold?" Carl asked.

"Carl…" Rick attempted a retort.

"It's a strong knot. Clove hitch. Shane taught me." Carl glared at his father. "Remember him?"

The mention of that name stabbed right through Rick's heart. Shane had been his best friend, his brother since he was younger than Carl. A man he trusted with his life who ended up trying to steal his family from him and shoot him in the back. He had been forced to kill a man he considered his brother, a man he loved.

"Yeah I remember him. I remember him every day." Rick answered before glaring angrily. "There something else you want to say to me?"

Carl lowered his head so that his hat covered most of his face. Despite his anger he still couldn't find the courage to fully stand up to his father, the boy inside him still holding him back.

Rick continued to glare before growling at Carl. "Help me move the couch!"

Carl, defeated, did as he was told and together they moved the couch into place easily. Despite this, Rick was still wheezing from the effort, his damaged ribs making it difficult to breathe. As he started undoing the buckle on his holster he swapped places with Carl.

"This'll have to do for the night." He told him, his tone cold.

He put his holster on the floor in front of him and sat on the couch. As Carl was organising some things Rick offered him a packet of food.

"You gonna have some?" Carl asked him.

Rick nodded. "You should eat."

"We should save it." Carl quickly retorted.

Rick ignored him and tried to open the packet. He growled in frustration as he couldn't find the strength to open it. Suddenly Carl grabbed the packet out of his hands, opened with ease and threw it back into his father's hands before continuing to set up his sleeping arrangements.

Rick took a bite of the food but winced in pain. The left side of his face was agony as soon as he attempted to chew it. He stood up and walked up behind his son.

"Hey." He got the boy's attention.

Carl spun round and glared at him. "I don't want any."

Rick snarled and threw the packet at him. "Eat it. Now."

Rick walked past his son and headed for the bathroom. Once there he unbuttoned what was left of his shirt and struggled to take it off, wincing in pain at each movement. Once it was off he finally got a look at his badly beaten and blooded face. He cast his gaze down to his left side and wheezed as he took in the dark purple colouration of the skin. He had never broken his ribs before so he was unsure if this was a sign of that or of internal bleeding. Was there inner damage that he had no way to recover from? Was there a chance his injuries could kill him? If that happened he could reanimate during the night and kill Carl as the boy slept. Rick looked back at his reflection and for the first time since he woke up from his coma he felt true fear and vulnerability.

* * *

><p><em>The birds sang a cheerful chorus, a song that was a contradiction to the harsh reality of the new world. For the birds nothing had really changed but for the few people remaining life was now a nightmare filled with hungry monsters. The sky was a clear blue, not a single cloud could be seen for miles allowing the sun to shine over the whole area, illuminating the lush green of the vegetation and making the water of the lake sparkle with its warm rays. <em>

_Jason threw a stone, skipping it across the surface of the water. This lake was isolated from any known roads and paths and had some of the clearest water he'd ever seen. Every time he would skip a stone across the surface the fish below would scatter and swim to the safety of deeper water. The birds in the tree branches above him continued to sing their afternoon song which to him always sounded happy no matter what was happening around them. _

_He took a break from skipping the stones and cupped some of the water in his hands before throwing it over his head, wetting his hair and face in an attempt to cool down under the sun's unrelenting blasts of heat. He lay back on the grass with the back of his head in his hands and stared up at the clear blue sky. Even though the dead had risen and started eating the living, there was nothing but peace at the lake. _

"_Remember when we used to come here?" His companion beside him spoke. "I mean, before all of this."_

_Jason continued to look at the sky but a smile did cross his face._

"_Yeah, I remember. We used to swim together all the time." He grinned at the memory. "But we can't do that right now. We can't risk the noise."_

"_Can't risk the noise, or can't risk it ending the way it always did?" Came the suggestive reply._

_Jason laughed lightly. "Both."_

"_Kinda sucks, you know, how we can't have that kind of fun." His companion with disappointment lacing his tone._

_Jason turned his head to face them. "No. No it doesn't suck."_

_His gaze was returned by the person beside him, their blonde hair reflecting the sunlight. "Why not?"_

_Jason reached out and took one of their hands in his hand. "Because all around us people are dying, the dead have risen to eat the living and the world is over." He explained, giving their hand a squeeze. "But we're here. Together. Right now. That doesn't suck."_

"_But what if that changes?" They asked him, fear in their voice. "What if something happens?"_

_Jason squeezed their hand tighter. "Nothing will happen."_

"_How can you be so sure?" _

_Jason kissed them softly. "Because I'll always protect you and keep us safe. I promise."_

Jason felt heat stinging his face and opened his eyes, squinting as soon as he did so as the sunlight that was streaming through the window attacked his eyes. He covered his face with an outstretched hand before sitting up and stretching with a yawn. He moved his sleeve and looked at his watch. Midday. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He had slept in longer than he anticipated.

"Damn couch was too comfy." He muttered to himself before reaching for his backpack.

Jason pulled out his bottle of water and took his morning drink before opening the plastic container with the fruit inside. As planned he had saved half of the contents as breakfast and wasted no time in consuming the fruit. At least he would have food in him for the rest of the day considering he needed the energy for his supply run. He ran a hand through his hair and attempted to fix it into a reasonable position before finally standing up and clipping on his holster. He sat back down and put his water bottle and now empty plastic container back inside his bag and withdrew the small book again. With his pencil he made another mark on the same page as before and put both items away.

Jason stood up again after tightening the laces on his boots and put his leather jack and gloves back on. He grabbed his backpack and put the strap over his shoulder before moving the two couches so he could open the front door again. As he looked out at the street he felt fortunate. This neighbourhood, for whatever reason, appeared to be almost free of the undead allowing him to relax just a little. He walked out onto the street and took a good look at his surroundings to confirm the impression that the area was deserted. Once he was sure he started walking up the rood, his feet crunching the carpet of leaves that covered the tarmac as he scanned the houses for any signs of life. Despite the silence of the neighbourhood, he never took his hands away from his knife and gun. The pair he had seen the previous day must have stayed here overnight and he hoped they were too injured to have just set off as soon as the sun came up.

As he walked down the street he took in the design of the houses. All of these houses would have fetched good prices back in the days before the apocalypse. Most would have been owned by families with children, with secure mortgages, decent incomes from good jobs, plenty of kids playing in the street with skateboards, bicycles and balls. Christmas time would have transformed the neighbourhood with festive lights and decorations. It would have been a wonderful place to live and grow up in. He felt a stab in his heart as he reminded himself that all of that was gone forever. Now these houses would remain for years to come, slowly falling apart and rotting much like the undead monsters that populated the land before they would collapse and disappear. With the disappearance of those buildings the memories and the people who lived in them would also disappear from history forever.

Two gunshots quickly brought him out of his thoughts. He looked around but couldn't see anyone. A third shot rang out further down the street but was followed by silence. That could be good or bad. Jason took off running towards the source of the gunshots but with so many similar looking houses it was hard to pinpoint which house he needed to go to. After running for a couple minutes he stopped to catch his breath, his eyes quickly scanning the area, looking for any signs of life or death if it turned out that way. He grit his teeth in frustration, the familiar feeling of failure looming over him like a sinister shadow.

That's when he heard it. The faint click and scratch of a window being opened. His eyes scanned the upper floors of the houses until they settled on the right window. He caught a glimpse of the arm of a living person quickly retreat back into the room. With no new gunshots he quickly assumed the person had run out of ammo. Without thinking twice he ran into the house through the front door that had been broken open and headed up the stairs, pulling out his gun as he went.

Jason made it to the top of the stairs just as he heard one of the bedroom doors slam shut. He aimed his gun at the direction of the noise and studied the sight before him. With their back against the door as they tried to catch their breath was a boy. He couldn't be any older than sixteen. He had a gun holster on the right thigh of his jeans but no gun. His dirty top was blue and grey. His long dark hair whipped out from under the sheriff's hat he wore but the most striking thing was that he only had one boot on. Before Jason could make any more observations the boy froze as he finally became aware of Jason's presence. He didn't say anything. His eyes darted to his gun that lay on the floor, too far away to reach quickly. He stared back at Jason with an intense look of fear in his blue eyes.

Sensing that the boy was afraid of him, Jason decided to attempt communication but kept his gun aimed at the boy.

"Hey, kid." He said calmly. "You okay?"

The boy stared at him for a moment, his breath still uneven. "I'm not a kid."

Jason smirked but didn't lower his aim. "Yeah, well you aren't a man yet either."

The boy didn't answer him, unsure of how to respond.

"What's your name?" Jason asked him, trying to keep his tone friendly.

The boy appeared to hesitate for a moment before finally answering. "Carl."

Carl lowered his gaze, hiding his face with his hat like he had done to his father the night before. After the horrible things he had said to his unconscious father that morning, he now wished that Rick could appear to protect him from this stranger who was aiming a gun at him.

"Alright then, Carl." Jason spoke softly. "How old are you?"

Carl hesitated again, unable to predict where these questions were leading. "Fourteen."

Jason nodded to acknowledge the answer while pondering his next question for the boy. He glanced at the door behind Carl, the nametag on the door read "Sam".

"You look tired. What happened?" He asked the teen. "Did you and Sam have a fight?"

Carl looked confused at the mention of the name, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins blocking his memory of the nametag on the door. Noticing his confusion, Jason simplified the question.

"What's behind the door?"

Carl glanced at the door but quickly brought his eyes back to Jason's gun.

"A walker." Was his answer.

Jason had never heard the term walker before but he understood what the boy meant. His eyes scanned the boy's body before asking an important question.

"Were you bit?" His voice threatened to betray his calm appeareance.

Carl shook his head, looking down for a moment.

"No." He answered. "But it got my shoe."

Jason couldn't stop a smile from creeping onto his face. Before he could lower his gun he reminded himself that he needed to know a couple more things.

"You don't look like you've been on the road long." He declared. "Have you got a camp with more people?"

Carl stared back at the young man before him. Though he tried to hide his grief, his eyes betrayed him and forced him to rub the hints of tears on his sleeve.

"No. It's just me and my Dad now." He answered, not looking up.

Jason thought for a moment. "And where's your Dad now? Does he know you're here?"

Carl considered lying to the man but if anything went wrong he would be found out quickly anyway. He remembered that Hershel taught him that honesty was often the best thing and reflected on who a person is.

"No. He's injured." Carl answered slowly. "We're staying in one of the houses down the street."

Jason could tell this was the truth so he finally lowered his gun. This teenager in front of him was one of the figures he had seen enter the woods at the prison. He holstered his gun and smiled, keeping his hands where Carl could see them so as to not arouse suspicion.

"Well, Carl. I'm Jason." He told him, still smiling. "I'm not going to hurt you, I just needed to be sure you weren't going to hurt me."

Carl didn't answer him. This didn't make sense. Most people would have shot him or hurt him by now but this man seemed friendly. Almost too friendly. He watched Jason as he picked up Carl's empty gun and handed it back to him. Carl took the gun back and holstered it.

Jason reached into one of the pockets of his cargos and withdrew a magazine. He handed it to Carl who hesitantly accepted it.

"I think those will fit your Beretta there." Jason told him. "15 rounds, 9x19mm bullets."

Carl nodded and ejected the empty magazine from the gun and reloaded it with the gift from Jason. He still couldn't understand what this guy was doing. Did he really trust him enough to give him a loaded weapon?

Jason gently pushed the teen away from the door.

"Do me a favour and stand back." He told him, reaching for the handle.

"What are you doing?" Carl asked him, confused.

"Getting your shoe."

Jason took out his knife and opened the door. The walker came charging out at him forcing him to jump back. Once the walker's lunge had finished, he kicked the corpse in the knee cap to bring it crashing to the floor. As soon as its head hit the floor he thrust his knife into the skull and killed it. He stood up straight and smiled at Carl before sheathing the knife and grabbing the boot that was lying in the middle of the room.

Carl accepted the return of his shoe with a smile and quickly put it back on his foot.

"Thanks." He said, still feeling uneasy.

"No problem." Jason answered with a smile before his expression changed. "Is your Dad safe where he is?"

Carl thought for a moment before answering. "If he doesn't wake up he should be fine."

Jason accepted this answer. "Then we should get you some food. You look a bit pale."

Jason made his way down the stairs but Carl hadn't moved. This caused Jason to stop half-way down the stairs and look up at the fourteen-year-old.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Why are you helping me?" Carl asked. "What do you want?"

Jason sighed. The boy was stubborn. "Tell you what, you come down here with me and get something to eat. In exchange I'll answer your questions."

Carl considered the proposition before nodding. Just as Jason was about to continue down the stairs Carl spoke up.

"I found some chocolate pudding in the kitchen." He told him. In a childish way he was trying to claim it as his.

Jason thought for a moment and glanced at one of the open bedroom doors. He pointed at one of them which had a window facing out onto the street.

"See that window through there?" He asked Carl, who took a look. "Climb out it onto the roof and wait for me there."

"Why?" Carl asked, confused again.

"It's easier to eat without the smell of a rotting corpse next to you." Jason told him, gesturing to the dead walker. "And it lets us keep a lookout for danger or your Dad."

Carl accepted this answer and walked into the bedroom and carefully climbed out the window. As he waited for Jason to join him, he kept his hand on his gun in case all of this was an elabourate trick to make him drop his guard.

However, Jason came out onto the roof a few minutes later with Carl's bag of supplies in one hand and the can of pudding in the other. They both sat on the rooftop with their legs dangling over the side and looked out onto the abandoned street. Carl opened the can and started taking spoonfuls of pudding, his tastebuds jumping at the sweet taste. This was a taste he had almost forgotten.

Without being prompted, Jason decided to answer Carl's questions.

"I've been alone for six months now." He told the teen. "When it's just you and the dead, you start to miss human contact."

"What happened to the people you knew?" Carl asked him in between mouthfuls of pudding.

"They all died." Jason answered simply, not wanting to give details just yet.

Carl didn't push the question, having just lost everyone he cared about apart from his father, he knew how it felt and could only imagine how much harder it was being alone. As he studied Jason's face, he realised that this man was a lot younger than he originally thought and couldn't been any older than twenty.

"I know you were living at that prison." Jason stated. "I heard the battle and saw you and your dad escaping into the woodland."

Carl stayed silent as the dots started to connect.

"I saw that you were vulnerable and tried to catch up to you both." He told the boy, looking away. "I didn't want to be alone anymore."

"But we could have been dangerous." Carl told him, remembering how dangerous the Governor had turned out to be.

"That's why I aimed this at you for a while." Jason told him, pulling out his Springfield Armory TRP Operator handgun. "But you seem like a good guy so I didn't shoot you."

Carl watched as he holstered the gun again. "When my Dad wakes up, he'll want to talk to you." He told the young man. "Find out if you're a threat."

"I can handle that." Jason told him before lying back to look up at the sky as Carl continued to eat. "But for now, let's enjoy the peacefulness of the afternoon."

Carl seemed to agree and continued eating the pudding before he stopped, looking at the half empty can.

"Do you want some?" He asked Jason, suddenly feeling quite selfish.

"What?" Jason asked, having been lost in his thoughts for a moment.

"Do you want some pudding?" Carl asked again.

"No thanks. You've been through a lot today." Jason replied with a smile. "You have it."

Carl resumed his eating as Jason continued to look up at the sky. It was a beautiful afternoon with a clear blue sky. Scanning the sky he couldn't see a single cloud for miles.

"_I'll always protect you and keep us safe. I promise."_

* * *

><p><strong>So this fanfic idea just came to me recently. I've been working on a different story but this was one idea that wouldn't stop nagging my creative side. So I decided to start it and it has managed to write itself in 2 days. I originally planned to end this chapter at the ending of "After" but this point felt much more natural for some reason. <strong>

**This story will follow the series closely but I will also go off in different tangents as the drama unfolds. I hope my character, Jason, is of interest to you all as readers.**

**Leave a review if you've read this far ^^**


	2. Hope Restored

**HOPE RESTORED**

_The music was loud, echoing all around the dark room. Strobe lights of multiple colours illuminated the room as people danced in the centre of the room, some alone others together and others in groups. Off to the sides of the dance floor, people sat at tables enjoying drinks. Some were couples, others friends and a rare few were alone. The darkness of the club made it impossible to tell the time of day outside as it had no windows. _

_Jason was sitting round the side from the bar. Behind the bar and the DJ's box was a quieter sitting area that was illuminated by UV lights that in turn illuminated parts of clothing, jewellery and teeth. He sat alone with a drink of water. Despite the great variety of alcoholic drinks and soft drinks he refused to have any of them. _

_He glanced over towards the dance hall to watch a couple dancing. He had come to the club with a friend as part of a night out in the town for some fun. However, his friend had caught sight of an attractive young woman and appeared to have forgotten about Jason's existence as a consequence. He sighed in frustration, his shoulders falling with the release of air as he pushed one of his hair bangs out of his eye. _

"_Why not go up and dance instead of sitting here sulking?" A voice asked him from behind._

_He whipped around to look at the owner. They looked a little younger than he was with stylish blonde hair that made them stand out in a crowd. Brown eyes gazing into Jason's blue ones._

"_I'm not much of a dancer." Jason replied with a smile. "Just been abandoned by a friend, that's all."_

"_Oh so you're alone." The blonde replied. "Perfect."_

"_And why is that perfect?" Jason asked, confused. "Loneliness is never good."_

"_Means I can sit here and no one will complain." The blonde answered, sitting next to him. "And now you're no longer alone."_

_The blonde giggled at their own declaration, though there was also a nervousness in the giggle that Jason picked up on. To ease the tension and to allow himself the opportunity to forget about his treacherous friend, he laughed along with the blonde. _

"_So don't you have a girlfriend you could be with?" The blonde asked out of curiosity._

_Jason shook his head and chuckled. "Nope, I'm a single pringle."_

"_A solo rolo." The blonde interjected with a laugh of their own._

_Both individuals laughed at the silly nature of their statements. Jason had successfully forgotten about his friend and found his attention being fixated on the blonde beauty beside him._

"_So what's your name?" The blonde asked him with a sweet smile._

"_Jason." He answered with a matching smile. "What's yours?"_

* * *

><p>Jason's eyes shot open at the sound of a loud thud. A body hitting the floor. He rolled out of the bed he was sleeping in and grabbed his gun from the holster, not bothering to put it on. He grunted as he moved the bed away from the door, having barricaded the bedroom door before letting himself fall asleep. It all came back to him as he moved the bed and opened the door. Carl had brought him back to the house they were in. He had seen his beaten father lying unconscious on the couch, presumably in some kind of coma induced from his injuries. There had been a thud. It was the middle of the night. Had the man died? Had he turned? Jason wasn't sure he could trust Carl to put down his own father if it were the case and that would only be if the boy was even awake yet.<p>

Listening carefully he could hear laboured rasps and sobbing. He recognised the high pitched spikes to the sobbing and identified it as Carl. The boy was crying. He heard rasps. The boy was crying. His father had turned. He hadn't heard a gunshot. Jason flicked the safety off his gun and rushed out of the bedroom, thundering down the stairs and through into the front room before anything happened. The sight that greeted him was not what he expected.

Rick lay on his back on the floor, his arms and legs splayed out. He appeared to be unconscious yet again as his mouth hung open slightly and his eyes were closed. Carl was cradling his father's head in his hands and was resting his own forehead on his father's forehead.

"I'm scared." Carl choked out weakly.

Carl had thought his father had turned but couldn't find the strength to pull the trigger. Though it was fortunate that he hadn't because Rick was still very much alive it had signalled the harsh reality to the boy. Despite the things he had said the day before, he wasn't ready to live without his father. He didn't have the strength to go it alone and he still didn't trust the young man he had met enough to feel safe with him yet. Regardless of his poor physical condition his father's words upon waking had been those of a concerned father. Don't go outside. Something he had already done. Stay safe. Something he was trying to do now.

"Carl?" Jason's voice broke the silence in the dark room.

Carl looked up, his eyes red with grief and his cheeks damp from his tears. Upon seeing Jason's gun aimed at him for the second time that day he shifted so that his father's head was behind him.

"He's not dead." Carl defended weakly.

Jason noted Rick's chest rising and falling and flicked the safety back on his gun and stuffed it into the back of his belt. It felt strange having the gun there, having grown so accustomed to keeping it in his holster. He ignored the minor complaint and sat on the floor next to Carl. His eyes studied the grief and guilt stricken fourteen year old.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked. He knew the answer already but asked to give Carl the chance to decide what he told him.

"I…I said horrible things to him yesterday." Carl admitted, the tears falling anew. "I blamed him for what happened and told him I didn't need him."

Jason nodded his head slowly. "But it wasn't his fault, was it?"

Carl shook his head forcefully, some of his tears landing on Jason's lap.

"And you do need him, don't you?" Jason asked softly.

Carl nodded violently, crying more. "He's all I have left…from before…"

Jason's instincts took over and without thinking twice he wrapped an arm around the boy gently. Carl with his defences down and his body racked with grief, turned towards the young man and cuddled into his chest, his tears landing on Jason's black shirt creating damp patches. Jason pulled the fourteen year old closer and stroked his messy brown hair gently, letting out soft, reassuring sounds of comfort as the boy continued to cry.

The ferocity of the boy's tears told him everything he needed to know. These weren't just tears of guilt for having been nasty to his injured father. These weren't just tears of grief from believing his father to be dead a moment ago. These were the tears from everything. The accumulated grief from all the awful things he had been through, from the violence of the world, the constant nightmare he was forced to live and most importantly the pain and emptiness caused by the loss of loved ones. Jason didn't know any names or numbers but if they had stayed at the prison then there must have been a lot of people which meant that Carl had lost a lot of people. Catching a glimpse of what life without his father would be had been enough to finally break the boy.

"He's going to be fine. You won't lose him." Jason whispered to the boy who had just stopped crying. "I promise."

He stroked the boys head and back softly, holding back his own grief because he knew he had to be strong for Carl. He couldn't let his own pain show, not even for a moment.

"No matter what happens, I'll keep you safe." Jason told him. "I promise."

When Carl didn't answer and his body didn't convulse from his sobbing, Jason peered down to see what was wrong. The calm expression on the boy's face along with his closed eyes told Jason everything. Carl had cried himself to sleep but remained cuddled into his chest. Jason smiled softly and looked around the room. Some traces of moonlight were streaming in through the thin curtains. Rick was still breathing and so was Carl. It reminded him of a night he'd never want to have to repeat. Pushing the dark thoughts from his mind, Jason tilted his head back against the armchair and let himself fall asleep, his arms still wrapped around Carl's smaller frame.

* * *

><p><em>There was an intense flash of lightning that illuminated the room before darkness reclaimed it. Moments later a loud crash of thunder sounded in the sky before the heavens opened and a torrent of rain came crashing down outside. The rain drops pelted the windows of the house and drummed against the rooftop loudly. The constant, rapid pounding of the rain was only interrupted by more loud echoes of thunder accompanied by the blinding flashes of lightning. <em>

_Jason stared into his companion's eyes, the blood draining from his face as his head began to feel light and his legs weak. The words that had just been said to him repeated themselves inside his head, echoing in his mind as if it was a large empty cave. _

"_I was bit." _

_The statement repeated itself, leaving Jason frozen with shock and confusion. He hadn't seen it happen. It all happened so fast. He had got to them as fast as he could. It wasn't fast enough. They were supposed to survive together. His companion was going to die. He promised to keep them safe. He had broken his promise. _

_Jason felt his body shake and had to grab the coffee table for support, fearing he would lose his balance and collapse from the sudden weakness shooting through his core. This couldn't be happening. He caught himself praying for it to be some twisted nightmare that he would wake up from at any moment. He had done everything in his power and the cruel reality was that it hadn't been enough. Not only had he broken his promise to the person closest to him but that broken promise meant these were their final moments together. _

_Jason collapsed to the floor, rolling on his back and grabbing his head in his hands as he cried out in agony. This agony was not physical but emotional. His heart was shattering to pieces in his chest as tears streamed out of his eyes, temporarily blinding him until he tilted his head and let them roll down his face. Rolling onto his side he punched the wooden floor repeatedly in frustration, anger and guilt. Blood stained the floor as the skin of his hand broke and split from the repeated trauma. _

_He opened his eyes, not remembering when he had closed them as someone's arms were lifting him off the floor and back into a sitting position. His companion pulled him in close so that his head was against their chest. He wrapped his arms around them tightly as they reciprocated the action. Another burst of lightning allowed him to see the bite in his companion's side, just below their last rib. Jason cuddled in closer and sobbed into their chest, leaving damp patches on their shirt as his companion's tears fell into his hair. _

"_I'm so, so, so sorry." Jason choked out between sobs. "Fuck I'm sorry, I fucked up. It should be me. Me. Not you."_

_His companion held him tighter, pulling him closer and kissed the top of his head._

"_It's not your fault." His companion reassured him. "If it was you I'd die. I would lose any reason to go on. Then we'd both be dead."_

"_But isn't that what is going to happen anyway?" Jason sobbed, staring up at them._

"_No, I don't want you to kill yourself." Came the reply as they winced in pain. _

"_So I'm supposed to be alone again?" Jason asked in painful confusion. _

"_I'll never leave you, baby." Another kiss was placed to his forehead. "But I can't lose anyone else to suicide, no matter what."_

_Jason lowered his head and cuddled in closer again. "So what then?"_

"_You have to keep going. For me." They replied between their own sobs. "Because your time to die is not now. You're supposed to live."_

"_How do you know that?" Jason asked, not accepting the idea of being left alone._

"_I don't. But I believe it." His companion answered. "Promise me you won't give up."_

_Jason cried harder, taking several moments before he could control his breathing enough to answer._

"_I promise."_

"_There's two more promises you need to make me." They could feel the fever starting, the infection attacking their body._

_Jason could sense the distress but forced himself to stay calm enough to talk._

"_What else?" He asked weakly._

"_When the time comes I want you to shoot me." The request shocked Jason. "I don't want to be walking around without a soul."_

"_But…but I don't have a gun." Jason admitted, regret striking him hard. He had lost it back at the camp. _

_His companion produced a gun from the back of their belt, a Springfield Armory TRP Operator, and handed it to Jason as if it was a present._

"_Now you do." _

_Jason held the gun in his hands for a moment. That's when he noticed the blood stains on his sleeve from the bite wound in his companion's side. He shut his eyes forcefully, scrunching up his face as more tears came bursting out. He holstered the gun, knowing that it would take all his strength and more to pull the trigger when the time came. _

"_What's…what's the last…last promise?" Jason choked out, his breathing coming out as gasps._

"_Stay with me until time runs out." _

_Jason's tears came out faster and harder as he nodded his head violently. He felt a pair of hands cupping his face. He blinked the tears out of his vision and looked into his companion's brown eyes. His companion brought them together so they could share a kiss. It was soft, delicate and loving. When they broke apart they held each other close._

_Outside, the rain continued to crash down violently, bouncing off the ground, hammering them roof of the house and pelting the glass windows like small stones. The lighting flashed again, casting the shadow of the couple's embrace onto the wall before darkness covered it up. The thunder roared across the sky with ferocity._

"_I promise." Jason whispered, pulling them as close together as possible._

* * *

><p>Jason felt himself slowly fade back into consciousness. Discomfort in his neck struck him quickly, reminding him that he was in the front room and had fell asleep with Carl. He moved his arms, searching for the boy but couldn't seem to find him. Perhaps he had woken before him. That would be normal and nothing to worry about. What wasn't normal was the cold, circular sensation on his forehead. He furrowed his brow to try and remove the strange sensation but it didn't go away. When he opened his eyes his breath got caught in his chest. A sudden sense of fear shot through him.<p>

Rick was awake. Rick was standing over him. Rick did not look pleased to see him. The cold sensation on his forehead revealed itself to be the barrel of Rick's Colt Python revolver. His eyes met Rick's glare and only moved to locate Carl, who was standing beside the couch behind Rick. He looked worried.

"Who are you?" Rick asked him gruffly.

Jason raised his hands in defence and submission. "My name's Jason."

"Carl may have let you in here." Rick told him, his voice still gruff. "But he doesn't make the decisions. I do."

"Well, in his defence you were in no position to make any decisions." Jason replied, trying to keep his tone calm and non-threatening.

Rick pulled back the hammer on his revolver, making sure the weapon was ready to fire. This sent a cold panic up Jason's spine.

"He's fourteen. He can't read people, can't be sure if they're lying." Rick told him with an icy tone. "I was a police officer before all this. I _can_ read people. If you try anything. _Anything._ I will kill you."

Jason hesitated to speak. There were things he wanted to say but despite how calm he may have looked on the outside, he was trembling within. He could tell Rick wasn't lying. He had the conviction to just pull the trigger right now. What a pathetic way to die that would be.

"Dad, I'm not a kid anymore. He's okay. He…" Carl tried to interrupt but was silenced by his father.

"Quiet Carl. We need to be sure he's not a threat." Rick told him, glaring at Jason. "_I_ need to be sure."

Jason glanced at Carl. The boy's eyes showed respect, trust but also a hint of fear. The fear was not of his father but the fear that the young man he had at gun point might do something. If that happened, Carl could lose his father, who was still badly injured, or he could lose this young man who comforted him when he needed it the most.

"Look mister, if I was such a threat, would we really be in this situation?" Jason asked him, hoping his last spark of confidence would not antagonise Rick.

"What do you mean?" Rick growled.

"If I wanted to kill you both I could have done it last night while you slept." Jason explained. "I could have shot your son when I first met him but I didn't. I helped him."

Rick snarled at him. "Or you could be manipulative."

Jason let out a frustrated growl. "Not everyone left in the world is bad. I'm not bad."

"Where's your group?" Rick asked him after a few moments.

"I don't have one." Jason admitted. "I'm alone."

"Why?" Rick asked with a rasp.

"Our camp got overrun. I made it out with one other." Jason told him, his heart rising to his throat. "Now it's just me."

"How long have you been alone?" Rick continued his interrogation.

"Six months." Jason answered, his voice deeper, a sadness present in his tone.

"Dad, at least put the gun down." Carl pleaded, feeling uncomfortable with the situation.

Rick turned his head to look at Carl through his undamaged eye and then back at Jason. He took a moment to think before he holstered his revolver.

Jason lowered his hands as well, feeling a little more relaxed now that Rick's gun wasn't staring him in the face.

"If you're going to stay with us like Carl has suggested." Rick told the young man below him. "Then you need to answer three questions."

Jason nodded and smiled softly. "Sure."

Rick rubbed his face, unsure of how he felt about the young man in front of him.

"How many walkers have you killed?" He asked the first key question.

"Too many to count." Jason answered truthfully.

Rick nodded, expecting such an answer.

"How many people have you killed?" Rick asked, glaring at him this time.

Jason was silent for a moment. That question surprised him but it did make sense. He went through the people he had met since the world ended and mentally counted the individuals he had killed.

"Five." Jason answered slowly and carefully.

Rick's eyes narrowed. Carl face wore an expression of surprise. The boy obviously hadn't expected Jason to be capable of killing.

"Why?" Rick asked in a rasp, reaching for the handle of his revolver again.

Jason lowered his gaze in pain. These were stories he did not want to have to tell but he knew he would have to if he was going to stay there without Rick shooting him.

"The first two were my parents." He explained, rubbing his eyes at the memory. "They wanted to die together after my father had been bit."

Jason looked up at Rick's expressionless face and Carl's look of sympathy.

"So I offered to put them both down together. A final act of love." He finished, tears lurking in his eyes.

"The next two were murdering thieves. The worst kind of people." Jason continued his story. "It was either them or me. I chose me. The first time I have ever killed in cold blood."

"But in self-defence, right?" Carl asked quickly from behind Rick.

Jason nodded slowly. "Yeah, they left me no choice."

"And the last person?" Rick asked him, still glaring.

Jason thought for a moment. He wanted to tell him but his emotions betrayed him. He couldn't bring himself to speak. To say their name let alone explain what happened. What he had done. He simply shook his head.

"I don't want to talk about that one." He told Rick, his voice low. "Sorry."

Rick took a step closer. "I _need_ to know."

Jason finally stood up for the first time that morning, an inch or two shorter than Rick himself.

"No. You _don't_." He growled at the man. "I'm _not _a killer. And I'm _not_ a threat to you or _your son_."

He stepped past Rick and refused to look at Carl before heading for the staircase. If this man was going to keep picking at that wound then he would have to leave. Carl was asleep when he promised to protect him so it wouldn't matter if he walked away. He wasn't breaking any promises. He stormed up the stairs and into the room where his supplies were.

Rick studied his son. The boy looked conflicted, unsure of what to say or do, as if he had split loyalties. Rick knew that Carl understood that the young man's outburst, his aggression over the subject of this secret fifth killing was a problem. At the same time Rick questioned his own judgement. Back at the prison, on the phone, he wasn't comfortable talking about Lori for a long time. Was this the same kind of thing?

He walked back to the couch and carefully sat on the floor with his back resting against the couch. He winced as pain continued to shoot through his side and leg, though not as bad as two days previous. Rick looked up at Carl, who looked prepared to follow the young man up the stairs.

"Sit down." He told his son, who stared back silently. "Carl. Sit down."

Carl hesitated before doing as he was told and sat down on the floor next to his father. He was close to tears again and he wasn't really sure why. He just stared ahead of him, refusing to look at his father in case the man saw the weakness in his eyes.

"You shouldn't have risked it." Rick told him gruffly. "Going out there like that. It's dangerous."

Carl turned his head to look at his father. "I was careful."

Rick nodded. His son obviously had been careful because he was clearly unharmed. He would have argued that fact if Carl had told him about his two near-death experiences but from a mix of embarrassment and pride he refused to mention that to his father.

Rick looked at the bag of supplies on the floor. "Well, it's good that you found more food."

"I found even more." Carl admitted as though confessing to a sin. "But I ate it."

Rick turned to him, slightly surprised.

"What was it?" He asked out of curiosity.

Carl smiled in embarrassment. "One hundred and twelve ounces of pudding."

This earned a smile and a shake of the head from Rick. Now it made sense.

"And you didn't share it with him?" Rick asked, referring to the young man upstairs.

Carl shook his head slowly. "No. I offered but he didn't want any. Said I deserved it."

Rick nodded his head in understanding. Perhaps he had been harsh on the young man but he still found it hard to trust any strangers, especially now that it was just him and his son. He glanced at his son, his expression suddenly serious along with his tone of voice.

"I know…we'll never get things back to the way they used to be." He admitted to his son.

"What?" Carl asked, unsure of where this was coming from all of a sudden.

"I only clung to that for you…and Judith." Rick hesitated. "Now she's…gone."

Carl lowered his gaze to the floor, the pain of losing his baby sister still stabbing his heart with a molten blade.

"And you. You're a man, Carl." Rick told his son with a mix of pride and guilt. "You're a man and I'm sorry."

Carl saw the pain in his father's eyes. He feared that while in his short coma, Rick had heard his outburst. He needed to put it right.

"You don't need to be." He told his father with sincerity.

They both smiled to one another before Rick to a much needed drink of water. Carl stood up, which made Rick cast his gaze up to his son.

"Does he get to stay?" Carl asked.

Rick thought for a moment. He could tell this meant a lot to Carl though he couldn't fathom why. Instead of invading his son's private thoughts he decided to trust his judgement and nodded. Carl smiled with relief and charged up the stairs to give Jason the good news.

When he reached the bedroom he noticed the door was closed over slightly. Carl approached slowly and knocked on the door before opening it. The door opened to reveal Jason sitting on the bed, now wearing his jacket, gloves and holster and wiping away tears from his eyes. He wrote another mark in his small book with his pencil before preparing to put them away.

"Hey." Carl announced his presence.

Jason looked up at him and rubbed his eyes quickly to hide the tears. "Hey, Carl."

"My Dad says you can stay with us." Carl told him. "If you want to that is."

Jason smiled at the boy. "Yeah, I'd like to." He replied. "Your dad is a good man, Carl."

Carl nodded before catching sight of the small book.

"What do you write in that?" Carl asked, not realising the rudeness of such an innocent question.

Jason put the book away in his backpack before zipping it up and putting it round his shoulder. He walked over to the window to look out onto the street.

"I don't write anything in it." He told Carl. "I mark a tally."

"A tally? You mean to keep count?" Carl asked, confused.

"Yeah." Jason answered simply.

"Keep count of what? Days?" Carl asked, trying to make sense of it.

"Yeah. Days since it happened." Jason answered, his voice low.

"Since all this started?" Carl asked.

"No." Jason replied softly, the familiar lump in his throat forming again.

Carl was about to ask what it was. He guessed it would be the fifth killing but he couldn't assume that. He needed to ask. Just as he was about to, there was a knock on the door downstairs.

Jason and Carl looked at each other with anxiety before heading down the stairs together as quietly as possible. Both of them had their handguns drawn and were aiming at the door as they reached the ground floor. Rick already had his revolver in his hand and was looking through the eyehole. He turned around and sat back down, his back resting against the door as he grinned from ear to ear, a light chuckle sounding.

Carl looked at his father in confusion, wondering what could make his dad laugh at a time like this.

"What?" He whispered anxiously.

Rick grinned at his son.

"It's for you."

Carl looked very confused with Jason being even more confused. Rick continued grinning and called out loudly to the person on the other side of the door.

"Go round the back." He called. "Carl will let you in."

Jason watched their shadow disappear from the porch as they made their way round the back. Carl rushed round to the back door and moved the makeshift barricade. As he waited for the individual to arrive, Jason stood by the kitchen doorway and kept his gun in hand just in case. Once a shadow was cast over the dirty glass of the back door Carl reached for the handle and opened it.

Standing in the doorway, with her clothes blood stained and dirty, her dreadlocks hanging around her head and her trademark samurai sword on her back was Michonne. Carl's face lit up as he dropped his gun to the floor and jumped towards the black woman, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.

"It's good to see you too." Michonne laughed in joy at the boy's reaction.

Carl's reaction was all Jason needed to holster his gun yet again. He took in the sight of the woman in the doorway in an attempt to gauge who she was and what kind of person she was. Her clothing was stylish at least. Boots, jeans, some kind of vest like top with a sleeveless leather jacket over it and fingerless gloves. Preventing her dreadlocks from falling in front of her eyes was a bandanna, wrapped around the top of her forehead. The handle of the sword instantly caught his attention. No surprise that she had survived attacks from walkers when she could slice them up into bits.

Carl eventually released Michonne and let her in so the door could be closed and barricaded again. By this time, Rick had hobbled through to the kitchen and stood in the doorway beside Jason. He was still smiling, as was Carl and Michonne. Rick's expression soon turned serious.

"I'm sorry, Michonne." He apologised, addressing the woman. "If we had known you were alive, we wouldn't have left."

Michonne held one of her hands up to him.

"No, you did the right thing." She told the injured man. "The prison is the last place anyone would want to be right now."

Rick nodded and invited her through to the front room to sit on the couch, floor or armchair. Wherever she preferred. She chose the couch and Carl happily sat next to her. Rick took the armchair and Jason reserved himself to stand in the doorway, leaving his backpack at his feet.

"What happened?" Rick asked her, his voice low as he knew he didn't truly want to hear the answer.

"After you took off looking for Carl, I went looking for the others." She explained, leaning forward. "I couldn't find anyone and you had disappeared."

"We're sorry. We weren't thinking." Rick apologised again. "We…we lost Judith."

Carl lowered his head at this, prompting Michonne to rub his back affectionately with one hand.

"I told you. You did the right thing." She repeated. "I took off into the woods and found a treehouse to spend the night in."

Jason smirked slightly. No doubt the same one he had been in as it wasn't far from the prison.

"I went back to the prison the next morning. It was still overrun." Michonne continued.

"Why'd you go back?" Carl asked her quickly, as it had sounded like suicide.

Michonne lowered her gaze. "Hershel."

She didn't need to say anything else. Rick and Carl instantly understood that she had put herself in danger, walking through a horde of walkers in search of Hershel's reanimated head so she could put him down out of mercy.

A sombre silence fell into the room. All of them were still grieving, leaving Jason at a loss of what to do or say. He decided to stay silent, as he didn't know any of the people they had lost and felt it would be inappropriate to try and comfort any of them over it. It wasn't his place.

"It was my fault. I should have kept looking." Michonne finally broke the silence, staring at the floor.

Carl raised his hand and placed it on her shoulder, causing the woman to turn to look at him.

"It was him. Just him." He told her, referring to the Governor.

"He's right." Rick quickly supported Carl's comment. The blame game wouldn't help any of them at this point. The past was the past. They had to focus on survival.

Jason kept his eyes on the interaction between Carl and Michonne. There was a lot of affection between the two of them. He reminded himself that their history belonged to them and he shouldn't stare so much.

Michonne noticed the head movement from Jason and turned her attention to him. She studied his appearance. Boots, cargos, stylish leather jacket, leather fingerless gloves, blue eyes and messy brown hair. She could tell he used to style his hair but the days of that are long gone. He looked young, only a few years older than Carl at most. She didn't recognise him.

She nudged Carl with her shoulder and gestured to Jason. "Who's the aviator?"

Carl looked confused, not understanding where the aviator came from but quickly realised who she was referring to. He hesitated, not sure how to explain to her who he was. Who really was he? Was he a friend yet?

Rick cut in, noticing Carl's hesitation. "Carl's new friend. Kept him safe while I was out cold."

Michonne's gaze moved from Rick back to Jason, studying the young man again.

Jason shifted his feet and looked at the floor.

"Hardly" he finally spoke up. "As if a tough guy like Carl needs any help from me."

Carl wasn't sure how to feel about his remark. It was true that he didn't really help with any of the walkers except to get his shoe back. However, Carl had needed him the night before. He had been a source of comfort, a surprise one at that which had allowed Carl to feel safe enough to cry himself to sleep. He would have stayed there had Rick not woken up first and pulled him from the embrace.

Michonne smiled at his modesty. She was a good judge of character and she didn't receive any bad vibes from the young man.

"So what's your story?" Michonne asked him directly. "You must have done something for Rick to respect you so quickly."

Jason shifted in place slightly, not enjoying being the centre of attention of three people who all knew each other intimately.

"I rescued Carl's shoe." Jason said with a laugh, which provoked an identical laugh from Carl. It wasn't a lie.

He stopped laughing and stared back at Michonne, his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket.

"I lost everyone I knew six months ago." He explained. "Been on my own until I met Carl the other day."

Michonne nodded. Though Rick didn't trust Jason completely yet, she could relate to him. Until she had met Andrea she too had been alone for months with just her pet walkers for company. Rick hadn't trusted her either. She realised they appeared to have a lot in common, even a connection to Carl.

Rick let out a grunt of pain and held his hand up to the cuts on his face and forehead. Michonne observed the injuries before speaking up.

"You should get those cleaned." She told him, earning a nod from the man. "Do we have anything that could be used to clean the wounds?"

Carl shrugged, looking in his supply bag. "Just water and some cloths."

"That will have to do for now." Michonne commented. "Until I go out on a run."

Jason stepped forward and kneeled down in front of Rick, searching his backpack.

"Don't bother." He told them. "I have a few things that should help."

They all watched him as he pulled out a small bottle of disinfectant alcohol and a couple cotton pads. He gently poured some alcohol onto one of the cotton pads and lifted it up to Rick's face.

"I'm warning you now." He told the man. "This is going to hurt like hell."

Rick nodded and prepared himself for the pain he was about to endure.

Jason dabbed the cotton pad onto Rick's face, cleaning each wound as carefully as he could. Rick grunted and winced in pain but for the most part held still. Jason cleaned each wound as slowly and carefully as possible, taking as much time as necessary. Rick's reactions to the pain subsided with time as the pain of the alcohol began to fade. However, as soon as Jason dabbed a new cotton pad on the large gash on Rick's forehead the man let out a gasp of pain and gripped the arm of the armchair so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Sorry." Jason apologised quickly, dabbing it again and earning yet another sound of pain.

"It's alright." Rick muttered, still wincing.

When he was done, both cotton pads were soaked with a mix of blood and alcohol. Rick's face looked much cleaner and the wounds appeared smaller as a result of the dried blood being washed off. The wounds continued to sting as the alcohol went to work but at least there was less chance of an infection.

Jason tossed the cotton pads into the bin that sat by the kitchen door and put the bottle of alcohol back in his backpack, zipping it up. He placed his bag back into the corner of the room and sat against the wall beside it.

Jason observed how close Carl sat to Michonne. How all three of them seemed happy together, almost like a family. It was clear that Michonne was a friend and not his mother but there was a clear bond. An emptiness crept up on him. He missed the embrace he had shared with the boy the night before, his first time being close to someone, anyone, for just over six months. Now it looked like he would have to wait another six months for anything like that to happen again. He tilted his head back and banged it against the wall, unintentionally getting everyone's attention. Realising this, he spoke up.

"So…what's the plan?" He asked as an open question to the room.

"I don't know…" Rick admitted with a heavy breath.

"We could stay here for a while, right?" Carl asked, his gaze shifting between Michonne and his father.

"At least until your dad has fully recovered." Michonne agreed with a smile and sat back on the couch.

"Then we should check the rest of these houses for supplies." Jason told them, standing up. "Most look like they were evacuated in the early days, should still have some things."

There was a unanimous agreement to the plan. The following day they would organise supply runs around the neighbourhood while Rick recuperated. Then they would set off and try to find some of their group from the prison, providing anyone else had even survived.

Jason sighed and stood up. He didn't feel comfortable in the front room with the three of them. He felt like the odd one out and opted to stay that way for the time being. He grabbed his backpack and started heading for the staircase but Rick stood up and called out for him to stop. He stopped.

"Jason." He said calmly. "Can we talk for a moment?"

Jason nodded and followed Rick through to one of the back rooms and closed the door behind them so Michonne and Carl couldn't hear them.

Rick's glare intensified as he looked into Jason's eyes.

"What happened last night?" He asked coldly.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked, hoping to play it stupid.

"You know what I mean." Rick retorted. "Why were you sleeping together?"

Jason had to quickly deflect the colloquial meaning of that phrase from his mind and focus on the literal meaning of Rick's question. He realised it must have been strange for Rick to find Carl cuddled into the chest of a stranger.

"He thought you had turned. It was hard to tell in the darkness." Jason explained, hesitating with every couple words. "He was scared and crying, so I put an arm around him for comfort."

Rick glared at him, expecting a longer explanation.

"As soon as I did, he cuddled into my chest." Jason explained, still hesitating. "So I embraced him and comforted him. It felt like the right thing to do."

Rick took a step closer to the younger man, his glare and slightly taller build intimidating to Jason.

"You didn't _touch_ him, did you?" Rick hissed.

"What?" Jason asked as a reflex before quickly correcting himself. "No! No, of course not! I'm not like that. I swear!"

Rick narrowed his eyes and nodded slowly. "Good. But if you're lying. If you touch him. I'll gut you. You got that?"

Jason swallowed nervously, Rick's intimidating glare and threats had actually caused him to sweat from anxiety. He nodded furiously.

"Got it." He confirmed, hands shaking. "But I swear I would _never_ do that. I promise."

"Good." Rick replied and backed off.

The injured man opened the door and hobbled back through to the front room where Michonne and Carl were waiting. Michonne sensed something had happened as it was rare for Rick to pull someone aside like that. Carl knew something had happened by the sweat on Jason's brow that hadn't been there before.

Jason headed straight up the stairs like he had attempted to before his chat with Rick. Carl's eyes followed the young man before he disappeared from view and then landed on his father. Had his dad said something to hurt the young man? Had he changed his mind about him staying? A strange feeling of panic set in. He didn't know Jason but he didn't want to see him go either. He got up from the couch and followed the young man up the stairs, leaving Michonne and Rick alone.

When he reached the bedroom Jason had been using, there was no sign of him. His backpack was on the bed but Jason was nowhere to be seen.

"Jason?" Carl called out, looking around.

"Out here." Jason answered. He was out on the roof.

Carl climbed through the open window and sat on the slate next to young man. He stared at Jason's face, trying to read the emotions that were being expressed. Jason was staring out at the empty street.

"What's up?" Jason asked the boy, finally turning to look at him.

As soon as Jason's eyes fell on Carl the younger boy quickly averted his gaze to the street, trying not to be caught staring.

Carl shrugged at first, watching as the leaves blew down the street.

"What did my dad say to you?" He finally asked, unsure of his question. "You looked upset."

"It was nothing." Jason lied, looking away. "Don't worry about it."

"Jason." Carl growled, making the young man look back at him. "I'm not a kid. Stop treating me like one."

Jason sighed and scratched his head, patting his hair into position.

"You're right, Carl. You're not a kid." He stated.

Jason hesitated.

"Your…your dad just doesn't want me hurting you." He admitted. "He got a scare this morning."

This confused Carl. How was a hug supposed to hurt him?

"What do you mean?" He asked, his naivety showing.

Jason sighed. This wasn't going to be an easy discussion.

"Carl…some people before the apocalypse...some adults would…hurt kids in a sexual way." He explained with great hesitation. "Exploit them, abuse them, and manipulate them. They were predators."

Carl thought for a moment, the very thought of such people making his stomach churn. No wonder his dad was worried, he guessed his dad had encountered such people at work before the apocalypse.

"But you're not like that, right?" Carl asked bluntly, needing to know the truth, no matter what it was.

Jason reeled his head back in disgust. "God no! I'd never do something like that to anyone!"

"Good." Carl answered, getting up and walking back to the window. "Because you give good hugs."

With that said, Carl disappeared back into the house leaving Jason alone with his thoughts. Did he just hear that right? Carl accepted what he had done the night before. He had enjoyed the closeness. He let out a sigh of relief and smiled, lying back on the roof to stare up at the sky yet again.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there's chapter 2 finished. This turned out longer and better than I had planned. Like I said, this story is writing itself. I hope I'm keeping everyone in character and giving a decent mix of positive and negative feelings. <strong>

**Please leave a review if you have got this far down. I like lengthy reviews, let me know what you like, what you don't like and what your predictions are. All of these things help me as a writer and galvanize me to get chapters written faster. ^^**

**A thank you goes out to Hunter Ark; *bruh intensifies* and the couple of guests who reviewed chapter 1. As a result, I wrote this one in a day. **


	3. Everlasting Nightmare

**EVERLASTING NIGHTMARE**

_Screams echoed loudly around the neighbourhood. Sirens from emergency vehicles were blaring with the vehicles themselves casting blue and red light into the dark street. In the sky above, helicopters roared overheard. Smoke filled the sky as cars and houses had caught fire and were quickly burning to the ground. The emergency services were overwhelmed by the threat that faced them. A horde of undead corpses, dead people, were attacking the neighbourhood and appeared to be immortal. The police officers there fired their weapons with deadly accuracy, striking the heart, lungs, and kneecaps of these assailants but nothing seemed to slow them down. The time wasted shooting the bodies allowed the cannibalistic corpses to advance upon them and tear into them, ripping their chest cavities open and killing the officers. _

_All around, people either stood their ground, with most of them quickly becoming overwhelmed by the monstrosities, or they ran as fast as they could. Many ran for safety, others tried to use their cars to escape but in the panic many of these cars crashed into one another, sending shards of glass spraying into the street and sounding the car horns. These horns acted like dinner bells for the doomed families inside. _

_Further down the street, a shot fired loudly as one of the corpses fell to the ground. One of the few people who had decided to shot them in the head and discover the weakness. Jason pumped the chamber of the Benelli M4 shotgun in his hands, discharging the bullet case and kept the gun aimed in front of him. The man who he had saved quickly ran past him and back into the house. More of the undead monsters approached Jason, groaning hungrily for fresh meat but with a pull of the trigger Jason blasted their brains out onto the street. He stepped back inside the house and slammed the door behind him. _

"_Dad, you okay?" He asked the man who he had saved, walking into the front room. _

_He first caught sight of his mother, whose face was occupied with worry and appeared to be turning pale. His father, a taller man with grey hair turned to face his son and revealed the bite on his arm. _

"_I'm sorry son." He apologised, understanding what the bite meant. "I was careless."_

_Jason dropped the shotgun to the floor and grabbed his father's arm, examining the bite. _

"_Maybe…maybe you won't become one of those things." He suggested, clinging to hope. _

_His father shook his head. "Jason, you know that's nonsense." _

_Jason felt tears stinging his eyes which came bursting through when he saw the pain on his mother's face. He tried to wipe his tears away for a moment._

"_So what do we do?" He asked, feeling like a helpless child. _

"_Pack your things and then guard the house." His father told him, not letting the gravity of the situation bring him down. "I'll tell Kellin to do the same."_

_Jason nodded, his tears falling from his face to the floor. _

"_What are you going to do?" He asked, looking up at his father in desperation. _

"_I'm going to take your mother upstairs." His father told him. "When the time is right, I will call on you."_

_Jason seemed confused but nodded and let them go upstairs. He started gathering supplies together and stuffing them in his backpack, keeping the shotgun close to him at all times. He also made sure to close the blinds so that none of the undead freaks outside noticed them and started pounding at the doors or windows. With all the screaming, sirens, gunshots and chaos outside, he doubted many of the creatures would be interested in his house anyway. _

_A young man came down the stairs behind him, a couple years younger than Jason. His blonde hair still in place and a bag around his shoulder. He looked terrified and deeply worried. _

"_What the hell is happening?" He asked, his voice quivering. _

"_Some kind of virus, I guess." Jason answered, drawing on his biology studies. "Those infected attack those who aren't."_

_The younger man sat down on the floor and held his knees in his arms, rocking himself back and forth. He couldn't imagine the horror unfolding outside and the screams that echoed from the street tore at his heart. Those poor people. _

_Jason knelt down in front of him, his hands on the younger man's shoulders. _

"_Kellin, hey." He got their attention. "We're going to get through this. I promise." _

_Kellin nodded, trusting Jason's optimism and determination. _

_Suddenly Jason's father shouted for him to come to the bedroom. He left Kellin in the front room and ascended the stairs. Once at the top, he knocked on his parents' bedroom door before opening it slowly. Lying on their bed, hand in hand, were Jason's parents and they were wearing their wedding clothes. _

"_Son, I don't want to become one of those freaks." His father told him. "And your mother and I have decided we won't live without the other."_

_Jason's tears began to flow from his eyes yet again. His voice shook as he questioned their decision._

"_What are you saying?" He asked them, fear and grief growing inside of him. _

"_Look at the table beside you." His father told him calmly. _

_Jason turned his head and observed the small black table that sat next to the door. On top of it was a telephone which was always there but two new items had also been placed there. A set of car keys and a Beretta 92FS handgun. _

"_Take the keys and take our car." His father told him. "You need to get to safety."_

_Jason grabbed the keys and pocketed them. _

"_What about you two?" He asked, tears still flowing._

"_Jason, honey, we both love you more than you'll ever know." His mother spoke up. "But we can't come with you. We want to die together."_

"_How can you expect me to just leave you both here?" Jason asked, raising his voice. "To abandon you?"_

"_You won't be abandoning us." His father told him. "Take the gun too."_

_Jason took the gun, his hand shaking from a combination of emotion and the weight of the weapon._

"_We're going to take some pills." His father told him. "We will slip away in our sleep."_

_Jason nodded, forcing himself to keep standing even though he wanted to collapse and cry. _

"_When that happens, shoot us both in the head." His father gave his last request._

"_What? Why?" Jason spoke back, shocked. _

"_I've been bitten, I don't want to risk coming back." His father retorted. "And I don't want that to happen to your mother either."_

_Jason dropped the gun to the floor and burst into tears. He walked over to his parents' bedside and held his parents close. His mother kissed his forehead, whispering words of love and promising that he will always be her baby boy. His father shook his hand and declared not only his undying love for his son but also is extreme pride. _

_With the heartfelt goodbyes said and done, they both swallowed their pills down with some wine and lay back in bed holding hands. Jason stood and waited, still crying but he had to honour their dying wishes. Once they had stopped breathing, he raised the Beretta in a shaky hand and fired two shots as promised. _

_They were in a better place. Away from this everlasting nightmare._

Jason awoke and felt like just rolling over and going back to sleep. He was really enjoying getting to sleep in a bed again and also feel safe at the same time. He was with other people for the first time in six months. He didn't always have to keep watch or sleep with one eye open. Jason felt a hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes, looking up to see Rick peering down at him.

"No gun to my head this time, Rick?" Jason joked, smiling up at the man. "I'm disappointed."

"Dare go back to sleep and I'll use it." Rick joked back. "That's a promise."

Jason chuckled and rubbed his eyes before yawning and stretching his limbs. He wriggled his toes and remembered that he had also slept without his boots on for the first time in weeks. He lifted the covers off and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He slipped his feet inside his boots and bent over to tie the laces.

"I'm going down to set up breakfast and mark a supply route." Rick told him. "Do me a favour and wake Carl."

Jason continued tightening his shoes and didn't look up. "Sure thing, Rick."

Rick smiled gently and left the room, heading back down the stairs. He still had a limp and the pain in his side wasn't going away any time soon. Outside it was sunny again and without any noticeable walkers. This truly was a peaceful, isolated little neighbourhood.

Jason lifted his notebook out of his bag and marked a new tally with his pencil. He sighed, counting the tallies in his head. One hundred and ninety. He put the book away and zipped his bag up. He slipped his fingerless gloves on and put on his jacket but he didn't zip it up, leaving it open for a change. His holster clipped around his waist with a sharp click. Leaving his bag in the room, he left the bedroom and headed for the room Carl was sleeping in. As he passed by the doors, he noticed Michonne was already up. He guessed she was naturally an early riser.

Jason opened the door slowly, letting the morning light flood in and descend upon Carl's sleeping form, curled up in the bed. He stood in the doorway and called out.

"Carl? Carl, time to get up!" He told the boy, who appeared to shift slightly in the bed.

He entered the room and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, just as Rick had done to him.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head." Jason continued in his efforts to wake him.

Carl moved. He was awake but simply rolled over, ignoring the older boy at his bedside.

"5 more minutes." He grumbled from under the covers.

"Sorry, no can do." Jason answered. "Get up before I make you."

Carl stayed as he was. Jason decided to make good on his threat and pulled the covers off the boy. His hands descended to the boy's sides and started tickling him, earning him instant giggles from Carl along with waving arms and legs that acted in a weak defence. Carl couldn't stop his giggling. No one but his parents knew he was this ticklish and as a result no one had ever tried. Now here was Jason, the stranger turned friend that he had met two days previous standing at his bedside tickling his sides with expert speed and pressure.

Carl gasped for breath between giggles. "Okay…okay…I'll get up…stop!"

Jason ceased his attack and returned his hands to the pockets of his cargos. He smiled down at the boy who lay before him, his hair dishevelled and his face red from laughing.

"Can't say I didn't warn you." Jason told him with a chuckle.

Carl glared up at him. "I'll get you back for that." He threatened.

Jason laughed, heading for the door. "You'll try."

Once Jason disappeared downstairs, Carl remained sat up in bed for a few moments, alone with his thoughts. No one had ever woken him up like that before in his life. He wasn't complaining, he had enjoyed the playful interaction. In two days Jason had been more physically close to him than most people at the prison except for his parents and Beth on occasion. The prison. He felt his heart sank. Had anyone else survived? There must have been a few at least. He hoped. His breathing had returned to normal but his face was still warm and red. Carl took his time getting ready before going downstairs so the colour would fade from his cheeks.

* * *

><p>By the time Carl had made it down to the kitchen, the other three were half way through breakfast. They didn't seem to be talking much, each individual keeping to their thoughts. Jason's face was the first to light up upon Carl's entrance. Rick and Michonne quickly followed suit as Carl pulled the fourth and final chair out from under the table and poured some cereal into a bowl. He ate while the others began to plan the day.<p>

"We should start with the closest houses." Rick suggested. "So it's not far if things go wrong."

Michonne and Jason appeared to silently agree as Carl continued to eat.

"I'll take Jason with me." Rick declared which received a double take from Jason.

"Rick, you're not strong enough." Jason told him.

"Excuse me?" Rick challenged.

"I saw the colour of your side." Jason explained. "You need to rest."

Michonne nodded alongside Jason. "Rick, he's right. Jason and I can handle it."

Rick said nothing, his gaze switching back and forth from Michonne and Jason. He felt like a child. Weak and helpless. Useless. A burden. He wanted to argue that he was well enough to take down a couple walkers but experience told him they weren't the only danger lurking in the world outside.

"You need to get better, Rick." Jason told him, standing up. "Carl needs you. Don't throw your life away."

Jason zipped up his jacket and checked his gun, making sure it was clean and operational before holstering it and heading for the kitchen door.

"Where are you going?" Rick asked him, knowing that what the young man had said was true. He needed to stay around Carl. To protect him.

Jason looked at the three of them over his shoulder as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen.

"I'm going on a supply run." Jason declared. "I'll be back soon."

"You're not going out there alone." Rick warned.

"I can handle myself. I managed for six months." He retorted. "You all need to rest, especially you, Rick. For your boy."

Before anyone else could respond Jason headed back up the stairs to grab his backpack from the bedroom. While there he checked its contents for spare ammo, a couple spare knives and other supplies. He took a drink of water from the bottle he always kept in the bag before zipping it all back up and turned back to leave. He stopped. Carl stood in the doorway, his sheriff hat firmly sitting on his head.

"You're not going alone." Carl told him, standing up the young man like he had done with his father before. "I'm coming with you."

Jason walked up to Carl, attempting to walk past him but the fourteen year old wouldn't move from where he stood. He stared down at the younger boy.

"No. You're not." He told Carl. "Your dad needs you. Can't risk anything happening to you."

"But we can risk something happening to you?" Carl spat back.

"Yes, you can. I survived alone. I'm the second youngest here." Jason told him, frustration lacing his tone. "And I'm the new guy. At least if something happens to me it won't be as bad."

Carl felt that statement stab at his heart. Is that what Jason truly believed? That because he was the new guy in the group that his life wasn't worth as much as the rest of them. His dad was forbidden from going on runs because Carl needed him. So why was Jason allowed to go? Carl couldn't let him just walk out like that but he also knew he couldn't really stop him.

Jason realised that he shouldn't have said that last statement. He placed his hands on Carl's shoulders softly. For a boy with so much pain even now he displayed such strength.

"Carl? You're a good person. You care about people." He told the boy. "That's why you're worried about me. But you don't need to be."

"If something happened, we'd never know." Carl replied, looking down. "You'd just…never come back."

A pang of guilt struck Jason. He hadn't truly realised how attached Carl was getting to him. He originally thought it was only because Rick had been in a minor coma and Michonne was presumed dead. Both were alive and awake yet Carl hadn't pushed him away. He was torturing the boy but insisting that he should risk his life alone.

"I'll come back. I promise." Jason told the teen.

"How can you be sure?" Carl asked him. No one could be sure of anything anymore.

"Because I'll go with him." Michonne's voice called from the top of the stairs.

Jason looked up at the samurai. He sighed. This was one battle he wasn't going to win. He let his tensed shoulders fall in defeat and nodded.

"Okay, we'll go together." He accepted.

With this declaration Carl let him past so he could head down the stairs. Once Jason had disappeared from view, Carl gazed over to Michonne from under his hat.

"Thanks." He said softly before looking down again.

Michonne winked at him before following the young man down the stairs.

Carl walked back into the bedroom and stood by the window to watch them set off on their run. He hoped they would come back safe and sound. The neighbourhood was quiet and with any luck it would stay that way.

* * *

><p>Jason and Michonne walked down the street. He led her past the houses that Carl had already raided and headed for the untouched buildings. He kept his hands on his gun and knife at all times in case anything happens. Michonne followed silently, confident in the knowledge that she could get to her sword in a second if she needed to. The sun blazed down from above, unrelenting in its assault as the cool breeze blew many of the leaves that decorated the street out of place. The only noise was that of the vegetation blowing in the wind and the birds that called it home. Michonne increased her pace so that she walked beside the young man.<p>

"You shouldn't be so reckless." She warned him, referring to his desire to go alone.

"There's a difference between being reckless and being confident." He answered, not used to being told he couldn't do things his way.

"And the similarity is that they both can get you killed." She countered.

Jason didn't answer her. They had reached the closest unchecked house and made their way up to the front porch. He pulled out his handgun and stood on the opposite side of the door from Michonne, who had pulled out her sword and held it at the ready. Jason didn't say a word but counted down from three with his fingers.

At zero, he moved in front of the door and gave it a strong kick, splintering the lock and forcing the door to swing open, slamming against the wall behind it. He instantly aimed his gun into the front room of the house and stepped in, his eyes and aim scanning every corner for a potential threat. He could smell death. There was a walker in the house somewhere. He slammed his fist against the wall three times to try and draw it out but the walker never came. Jason glanced at Michonne, both of them wondering why it wasn't stumbling out towards the noise. He walked through the front room, checking the floor but couldn't see anything suspicious. The further into the house that they walked the louder the gasps and snarls of the walker became and the more repelling the smell became.

Rounding the corner they came to the kitchen. The sounds and smell of the walker grew ever stronger but there was still no visual sign of its existence. They followed the sounds it was making, Michonne with her katana in hand and Jason with his handgun guiding his movements. They came to the pantry door and saw it vibrate as something banged against it. The walker was inside.

Jason shook his head and turned to Michonne. "Typical. The one place we really need to look."

"At least it's just the one." Michonne commented, raising her sword.

"Should be pretty weak too." Jason added, reaching for the handle.

He turned to Michonne. "Ready?"

Michonne nodded quickly and Jason opened the pantry door, jumping back as he did so. The walker burst out of the pantry faster than expected. It was stronger and fresher than Jason had predicted. As he jumped back his leg caught against a chair, forcing him off balance and causing him to crash to the floor, his gun falling from his hand as his reflexes tried to prevent his fall. The walker charged towards him and dropped down on top of him. He shouted in panic and quickly grabbed the walker's shoulders, holding it as high above him as he could. Despite his physical strength, the weight of the walker was making his arm muscles burn. If he didn't act fast his arms would give way and the walker would give him a painful kiss of death. Before he could act, a long blade was shoved through the walker's temple, killing it and causing the body to go limp. Jason rolled the body off him as the blade was retracted.

He stood up and grabbed his gun before looking at Michonne, splatters of blood dripping from the tip of her sword.

"Thanks." He gasped out, getting his breath back.

Michonne sheathed her sword for the time being and walked into the pantry, covering his mouth and nose from the assault of the disgusting stench of rotting flesh that had built up inside. They were in luck, the pantry had plenty of canned foods, cereals and other miscellaneous supplies. Both she and Jason took what they could and placed them in their respective bags.

"This was more than I expected to find." Jason commented.

"We can go back early if you want." Michonne suggested. "This is more than enough."

"I want to check upstairs first." Jason answered, heading for the staircase without waiting for the samurai.

"Jason!" She called to him, stepping out of the pantry. "You need to be more careful."

"Why? I do fine." He replied. "I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"You need to be careful for Carl." She told him. She could read that boy better than his own father could most of the time. His concern for Jason had not gone unnoticed.

"He's a strong kid." Jason deflected the subject. "He doesn't need me."

Michonne jogged ahead of him and blocked his path up the stairs, standing a couple steps up so that she towered over him.

"That's not why he needs you." She hissed. "He needs you because he has lost too many people already."

Jason didn't answer. He remembered the state of the prison.

"As far as he's concerned, as far as we're concerned…" Michonne told him coldly. "He just lost over twenty people. Don't make him go through anymore heartbreak than he already has."

Jason's eyes widened. He hadn't expected it to be over twenty. At that point his own losses seemed pathetic in comparison. Hardly noteworthy. Carl held onto him because he was scared to lose someone else. It didn't matter who. Carl cared, not because he was necessarily special or important but because he was still alive.

"I see the pain in your eyes." Michonne told him, breaking him from his thoughts.

Jason stared back at her, looking right into her eyes. Despite how expressionless her face was at that moment he saw something in her eyes. A flicker that betrayed her stoic appearance.

"And I see the pain in yours." Jason answered lowly.

Michonne stood aside slowly, allowing Jason to ascend up the staircase. The two of them in that moment had come to a new understanding. They had both lost something precious, someone precious. They didn't need to say who. They weren't at that stage yet. Respect had been gained.

Michonne followed Jason up the stairs. The first room they encountered had the door closed. Jason readied his gun and Michonne unsheathed her sword. Just like before, Jason swung the door open and stepped back, aiming into the room with his eyes rapidly scanning for any danger. The sight that met his eyes almost made him drop his gun.

Lying in the bed, tucked under the covers and with their hands still intertwined, were two corpses. They were a man and a woman, dressed in their wedding clothes by what could be made out under the dirt. Evidence of insects littered the bed from previous stages of decomposition. Just like his parents, this couple had chosen to end it together. Just like his parents, someone had shot them in the head to prevent reanimation, the dark, dried bloodstains had recolored the pillows their heads rested on. On the bed below their hands was a note. Slowly and carefully, he picked it up and brushed off the dirt and insect remains.

"Jim, with endless love we left you sleeping. Now we're sleeping with you. Don't wake up."

Though these people had no connection to him whatsoever and that it was clear that their son, Jim, never did wake up to read their note, Jason felt tears falling from his eyes. He placed the note back where he found it and left the room, pushing Michonne out with him. He closed the door behind them and leaned back against it. His legs gave way and he slid down the door until he was sat on the floor, dropping his gun from his hand and onto the floor beside him.

Michonne crouched down next to him, studying his expression and his tear stained eyes. She didn't say anything, she just waited for an explanation.

"I…I was with my parents when all this started." Jason slowly explained, trying desperately to control his breathing. "One night, a herd of those…things…entered the town. The police and the residents didn't stand a chance."

Jason paused for a moment, his emotions threatening to get the better of him but he fought them off to continue his story.

"My father was a cop. He had worked out how to kill them." He continued. "We were trying to secure our front gate so they wouldn't get in. One came out of the darkness…"

Jason's shoulders shuddered as the tears began to fall.

"He didn't see it in time. It bit him in the arm, took a chunk right out of him before he shot it." Jason continued, gasping between sobs. "We…we got back inside. We were safe."

Jason lowered his gaze to the floor, the sounds, smells and sights from that awful night coming back to him.

"The poor families outside saved us from the worst of it. Their screams attracted them." Jason continued, remembering it vividly. "God, the screams."

Michonne placed a hand on his shoulder but he didn't react, as if he couldn't feel it.

"My parents made a decision. They would take some pills and die together." Jason explained. "Their dying wish was that I shoot them in the head, so they wouldn't come back."

Jason broke down, the tears thundering from his eyes as he fought to hold them back but found that he no longer could.

"I shot my parents. I shot my own parents." He gasped out. "I'm sorry you have to see this."

Michonne rubbed his shoulder. "I've been there. Don't ever be sorry."

Jason nodded, accepting her words and tried to slow his breathing. It took him a few minutes but he eventually managed to calm himself down and dry his eyes. He holstered his gun and stood up again.

"You should let Rick and Carl know these things." Michonne advised. "Especially Carl. Let him in."

"I don't think he's too impressed with me right now." Jason commented with a sad smile.

"If you want to make this morning up to him, find him some comics." She told him before she started tying up her bag.

Jason nodded and searched the rooms, hoping to find a young teen boy's room in the house. He opened the final door and smiled. He was in luck.

* * *

><p>Rick groaned in pain as he pulled off his torn and blooded shirt. It used to be green but now it was practically brown with patches of dark crimson. His side was still agony and even more so when performing complex tasks such as getting dressed or undressed. He dropped it to the floor, making a mental note to get it later as he searched the wardrobe of one of the bedrooms. Some clothes had fortunately been left behind and some of them were in his size. Rick grabbed a white shirt from the wardrobe and lamented its colouration. This shirt would not stay white for long. With a wheeze of pain he struggled to put the shirt on but with a bit of patience and careful manoeuvring he managed to do so. It was refreshing to not have to wear his ripped and blooded shirt from the prison anymore. He walked over to the window and looked out at the street which was as empty and quiet as ever.<p>

"They've been gone a while." Carl's voice sounded from the doorway.

"I'm sure they're fine." Rick answered with a pained breath.

"But what if they're not?" Carl asked with concern. "What do we do if they're not?"

Rick turned to his son. He never used to worry this much back at the prison when Michonne went out on her own.

"Carl. Have you heard any shots?" Rick asked his son, who shook his head. "Then they're fine."

Rick hobbled over to his son and placed a hand on his shoulder. His thigh still ached from the bullet wound though he was fortunate that the bullet had gone straight through without shattering. He stared into his son's eyes that were still etched with grief and worry.

"I'm…I'm sorry Carl." Rick apologised out of the blue. "I didn't stop him. I couldn't save everyone. Couldn't save…Judith."

Carl's eyes welled up from the tears that were gathering in his eyes and hugged his father, being careful not to put pressure on his injured side. Rick looked down at the boy and stroked his hair gently.

"I miss them all so much." Carl sobbed into his father's chest.

Rick felt the familiar lump of grief rising in his throat and held his son close to him.

"Me too, Carl. Me too." He answered softly.

Carl managed to calm down slightly though he refused to release himself from the embrace. His voice was muffled against his father's chest when he spoke next.

"Jason's one of us. I know you don't trust him." Carl said into his father's chest. "But he's one of us. He has to be."

Rick thought for a moment. It was true that he didn't trust Jason much. He knew there were plenty of things that the young man refused to tell them and his willingness to go out alone as if he was expendable worried Rick. However, his son was the first to meet him and it was obvious that the boy cared for Jason. Carl had already lost so much that Rick couldn't find it within himself to take anything else away from his son. He slowly nodded and rubbed Carl's back.

"He's one of us." He said, repeating his son's words. "He's one of us."

There were still questions that plagued Carl's mind. He didn't fully understand why he had become attached to the strange new member of their group so quickly. Thinking back to the morning he realised how little faith he had shown to Jason by assuming he wouldn't survive a supply run on his own. Jason had been on his own for six months before meeting Carl and had no doubt done plenty of supply runs alone. He would know what to do. Know how to be careful. Carl's lack of faith was the equivalent of spitting in his face. He suddenly felt very guilty. Had it been lack of faith or had it been genuine concern? After what happened at the prison he was so scared to lose anyone else that he cared about. Would he have been as opposed to Michonne going alone? He wasn't sure. He needed someone to talk to. Someone who could explain his feelings and settle his confusion.

"Hey, dad, how do you…" Carl started to ask the question but then remembered what Jason had told him. Rick hadn't trusted the embrace and had threatened him should he get physically close to Carl.

"How do I what?" Rick asked the boy, releasing them from the embrace to look into his son's eyes.

Carl knew that Rick had only meant his threat applied should Jason be one of those sexual predators he had been told about. He knew Jason wasn't one of them. He couldn't be. Yet he couldn't understand why he suddenly felt very uneasy with talking to his father about this. About his feelings. His father had just declared Jason to be one of the group, he didn't want to put that back into any form of doubt in his dad's mind.

"Never mind." Carl surrendered. "It doesn't matter."

Rick knew that it did matter but for reasons unknown his son had decided not to confide in him. Though he was slightly hurt by this fact he reminded himself that Carl was a teenager now. There would be things he wouldn't always feel comfortable talking about. He chose not to invade his son's privacy and let the subject drop.

Rick turned to look back out of the window and was greeting with a pleasant sight. Jason and Michonne were now visible and were returning to the house. Michonne's back appeared to be full as did Jason's. Their run appeared to have been more than just successful and the time alone together had let them bond some more, evident by the smiles on their faces as they spoke. Rick turned back to his son.

"I told you they were fine." He declared with a smile, earning an identical smile from Carl.

* * *

><p>Carl closed the front door and tied it shut with the same clove hitch knot as he had done before. He was very glad to see that both Jason and Michonne had survived and made it back without any harm having come to them. The thing that surprised him and his father most was the sheer quantity of supplies they had returned with.<p>

As they sat in the front room, Jason and Michonne revealed the fruits of their adventure. Over thirty cans of food that would last them for a couple of weeks at least and a great variety of different food to boost. They had also found some medical supplies in the bathroom of the house they raided, allowing Rick to finally apply a proper bandage to his thigh after going through the painful process of cleaning the wound again. To compensate, Jason had grabbed some painkillers for him, powerful ibuprofen tablets that would help keep the pain and swelling down. They also noted that no bullets had been wasted on the run either and had told the story of the walker in the pantry. Out of newly earned respect, Michonne omitted the detail of Jason nearly getting bitten by it so as not to alarm Carl over his safety.

Despite how happy he was to see them back, Carl was still upset with Jason's previous comments earlier in the day and the guilt of his own comments were weighing down on his conscience. Jason hadn't really spoken to him yet, focusing more on his father than anyone else. Was he mad? If he was he did a good job of hiding it as his face never revealed any ill feelings towards the boy. The only difference was that he hadn't spoken to him apart from a few choice words. Through all their celebrations of the successful supply run they had only been checking the contents of Michonne's bag and a couple from Jason's. Carl noticed that Jason's bag was still pretty full looking. If Jason wouldn't say anything, then Carl would.

"What else is in your bag, Jason?" He asked, gesturing to the backpack that was bulging slightly. "It wasn't like that before."

Jason smiled and unzipped the bag. "I'm glad you asked."

Carl gave a confused stare as he watched the young man search inside the backpack. What would he have that only Carl was interested in or could ask about?

Jason finally revealed the contents that had been distorting the shape of his backpack. He pulled out six comic books that were in perfect condition. They were thick comics too and each one would take Carl a couple hours to read through properly, that much was certain. He handed them to Carl with a smile, noticing the smile on Rick's face in his peripheral vision.

Carl's face lit up as he took the comics into his hands.

"Cool! Thanks a lot, Jason!" He exclaimed in delight. "How'd you know I liked comics?"

Jason tapped his own nose with a smile. "Trade secret."

Carl's eyes scanned over to Michonne who winked at him as she too sat with a grin on her face. It made sense to him now. Michonne used to always get him comics while she was out on a run so she must have told Jason about it. Though it took a slight touch of magic away from Jason's gift, the young man had still went out his way to get them. Carl could imagine him killing a walker just to get to the comics. Just for him.

Rick glanced out the window. The sun was getting low in the sky. He looked down at his watch, thankful that it still worked after all this time and decided to bring the celebrations to a close.

"We should eat soon." He told them. "Then decide who is keeping watch."

"I'll do it." Michonne piped up quickly.

"You just got back from a run. You should rest." Rick told her, concerned for his wellbeing.

Michonne stood up, placing a hand on his shoulder. "No. You need to rest. You're still injured."

Rick was about to retort but Jason interrupted him.

"Rick, I'd listen to the woman if I were you." He warned the former officer. "She's not one to be argued with."

The four of them shared a laugh at this. The laughter was rich from the truth of the statement and because they had the opportunity to enjoy themselves. To relax and not have to worry about survival every moment of their lives. They were alive. They were together. There were still things worth laughing at in the world.

* * *

><p><em>Jason stared out at the water of the lake. The sun was bright in the sky and caused the surface of the water to sparkle. The ducks quacked to each other as they swam about without a care in the world. They didn't care that he was close by, they were used to people by now. Jason turned to the blonde beauty beside him, the individual who had saved him from a boring evening at the club after his friend had happened him. <em>

"_I come here whenever I want to think about things." Jason told them. _

"_What do you usually think about?" The blonde asked him, curious. _

"_Life mainly. Whether I'll ever be truly happy." Jason said, feeling guilty at being negative. "That's the biggest one. Happiness."_

_Jason turned back to look at the water. He felt warmth on his hand, the feeling of another hand. He couldn't remember when the blonde had moved but they were now sitting a lot closer to him on the grass than they had been before. _

"_Aren't you happy right now?" They asked him, slightly nervous. "Spending time with a new friend?"_

_Jason sighed, he hadn't meant for it to sound like that. "Yeah, but there's still that slight feeling of loneliness. I can't explain it."_

_He felt the hand move off his own and end up caressing the back of his neck. He turned to the blonde and found himself staring into their deep brown eyes, their face inches from his. They were close enough that they could feel the heat of their breath on their faces. Jason's heart started pounding. He had suspected that they might have shared some kind of attraction. They did flirt on occasion. He had chosen not to say anything as he didn't want to be rejected so many times before. _

_His train of thought was quickly derailed as he felt warm lips capture his own. His eyes were closed though he couldn't remember when he had closed them. He leaned into the kiss as the blonde rubbed his back before lifting a leg over him and gently pushing him onto his back so that they were on top of him. The surprise of the movement had caused Jason to let out a small gasp which the blonde took advantage of, gently sliding their tongue between his lips to tease his own. _

_They lay there on the grass like that for most of the afternoon. Kissing and holding each other close under the afternoon sun. Nothing else mattered in the world. They had each other. Jason felt his heart swell in these moments. This was the start of something new and exciting and beautiful in his life. _

"Jason?" Carl's voice sounded from the bedroom door.

Jason had gone up to his room after they had eaten and now that Michonne was resting before taking watch and his dad was reading a book, Carl wanted some company. He also wanted to talk to Jason about a couple things. When he had ascended the stairs he had found the young man lying on the bed with his eyes closed, so he had called out as he wasn't sure if Jason was asleep or not.

Jason opened his eyes and turned his head. When he saw that it was Carl he sat up and swung his legs round so he was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, Carl." He greeted with a soft smile.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" Carl asked, a pang of guilt rushing through him. Jason would be tired from the supply run.

Jason smiled. "No, no. I was awake." He answered truthfully.

Carl felt relief wash over him. At least he hadn't disturbed the young man's sleep. He lowered his gaze to the floor, sliding one of his feet over the wooden floor.

"I…wanted to thank you. For the comics." He explained. "I lost all the others at the prison."

Jason nodded slowly, hoping the boy would look up so he could read the emotions in his eyes a bit better.

"Michonne told me." He told the fourteen year old. "I grabbed as many as I could fit in my bag."

Carl looked up at him again, a soft smile creeping on his face. "Thanks."

"You don't have to thank me." Jason told him with a smile, gazing into the boy's eyes.

"I do." Carl countered. "You didn't have to."

"Didn't have to." Jason repeated. "But I chose to."

Carl smiled and nodded, he couldn't argue with that statement. Jason obviously did care enough to go out his way for the comics. Not because he felt like he had to or because Michonne told him to but because he wanted to, he chose to. The morning argument came back to Carl's mind complete with the accompanying guilt.

"I'm sorry for not having faith in you this morning." He apologised, looking down again.

"And I'm sorry for not taking your feelings into account." Jason also apologised, grateful that Carl had given him the opportunity to say sorry.

Carl looked back up at the young man and at that moment his conversation with Rick came back to him.

"I'm trying to get my dad to trust you more." He admitted. He knew it wasn't easy to convince his father of some things and a lot of the work would have to be Jason's responsibility.

"Your dad is a good man, Carl." Jason told him. "You should feel very lucky to still have him."

That statement struck a chord with Carl. It was something he had never asked before and realised he probably shouldn't. He wanted to know more about Jason's family. He knew his parents died together but that's all he knew. Carl took a breath, hoping he wasn't going to be rude with his curiosity.

"What were your parents like?" He asked. "I know you lost them but I'd like to know."

Jason smiled with both sadness and understanding. He remembered Michonne's advice to let Carl in and decided to give it a try.

"My father was a lot like yours. Caring, clever and strong." Jason explained. "He used to be a cop too. He was older than your dad though."

"That's something we have in common." Carl pointed out with a smile which quickly faded. "Except you don't have your dad anymore."

Jason reached out and grabbed Carl's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Hey, don't you worry about that." He told the boy. "My parents got to die on their own terms. You've lost much more than I have."

"Do you still miss them?" Carl asked. He cursed himself mentally for asking such a stupid and insensitive question.

"Every single day." Jason answered, revealing the pain in his eyes to the teen.

"It doesn't get any better, does it?" Carl asked, his eyes turning red as his grief started to bubble to the surface.

Jason let out a breath and shook his head. "No, it doesn't. You just get used to it."

Carl's tears began to slowly roll down his cheeks. "I don't want to get used to it."

Jason, with his hand still squeezing Carl's, pulled the boy towards him. Carl immediately wrapped his arms around the young man's neck as Jason wrapped his arms around the teen's slim body.

"You just need to remember one important thing." He whispered in the boy's ear as he rubbed his back to comfort him. "They're in a better place now. Far away from this everlasting nightmare."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3 is finally done. I got side-tracked last night and was unable to finish it as quickly as I had hoped. However, I'm fairly sure that it was up to expectation. <strong>

**A thank you to the reviewers of chapter 2; Hunter Ark, Madison188, rk0192, vmbaby & RainbowO. Also thanks for the follows/faves and kudos. ^^**

**Leave a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. What you liked, didn't like. What was good and what wasn't so good. If you have predictions or things you would like to see, also let me know. I don't have many solid plans for this story, just an outline. So reader responses can help shape the story. **

**Thanks for reading! ^^**


	4. Walking The Line

**WALKING THE LINE**

_The kettle let out a loud click to signal that it had finished boiling the water inside it. Steam rose out of the top slowly. Jason lifted it off the base and poured the boiling water into two separate black mugs before placing it back where it was. Retrieving the milk from the fridge, he also added a portion of that to each cup before returning the milk to its place on the shelf on the fridge door. He stirred both mugs of coffee thoroughly before rinsing the teaspoon and taking the mugs through to the bedroom. _

_Lying in the bed half asleep with the covers still over them was the same blonde beauty that had come into his life a couple months before. Jason smiled as he observed their sleeping form and remembered the night before fondly. It had been one of the best nights of his life and was hopefully one of many to come. He didn't want to disturb them but he figured they had both slept in long enough. _

"_Wakey, wakey, poppet." He called, rousing them from the addictive clutches of sleep. "Coffee's ready."_

"_5 more minutes!" They grumbled from under the covers. _

"_Don't make me tickle you!" Jason warned the blonde, which made them sit up quickly._

"_If you do that again I'm not responsible for your injuries." The blonde threatened with a giggle._

_Jason laughed with them and handed them the mug of coffee. _

_The blonde's collarbones were exposed as the covers retreated as they reached for their mug. Jason sat on his side of the bed with his own mug and waited for his coffee to cool down enough to it wouldn't burn his tongue or mouth. _

"_Sleep well?" He asked the blonde, placing a kiss on their cheek._

_The action earned him a smile from the blonde who nodded. "Best I've slept in a long time."_

_Jason smiled back. "Same here."_

_The blonde took a sip of their coffee, taking care not to burn themselves before looking out the window. Outside the birds were singing, the sun was shining and people were starting their day. The noise of car engines was a constant dull hum in the background of whatever they did. _

_Jason checked his mobile phone that had sat by his bedside all night. It was ten in the morning. He had a missed call from the night before which he remembered as being a call he chose to ignore as he and his bedfellow were otherwise occupied. He put the phone back down. He would call them back when he was free. _

_Jason drank some of his coffee, closing his eyes as the warm liquid made its way through him and the caffeine awakened his senses. He was still a little tired but it was a Sunday. It was a lazy day. He yawned at the thought of doing next to nothing all day and reflected on the last couple months. The kiss by the lake had been the start of a relationship and he hoped it was one that would last. It felt right. He felt like they were two halves that had come together, never to be separate ever again. _

_He finished his coffee shortly after his blonde bedfellow finished theirs and took their hand in his own. They stared at each other for a few beats. Jason was just admiring them. He did this often and they were used to it. _

"_You're so gorgeous, even first thing in the morning." He told them, earning him a kiss. _

"_No, you are." The blonde countered with a smile. _

_Jason smiled at the compliment and laughed at their silly little argument. They did this all the time and there never was a clear victor. _

"_There's a reason I can't take my eyes off you, baby." Jason told them, rubbing their cheek with his hand. "You're going to have to accept that one day."_

"_Maybe." The blonde countered, kissing Jason and wrapping their arms around him. "But not today."_

_Jason giggled as the blonde pulled him closer and lay back, pulling him on top of them without breaking the kiss. _

"_If only life could be like this all the time." The blonde lamented in thought. _

_Jason left a small kiss on the end of their nose. "It can be. If we choose to make it that way."_

"_Do you think we can?" The blonde asked him with uncertainty. _

"_I can't think of anything that could ruin this for us." Jason answered, kissing them again and initiating morning love._

* * *

><p>Jason's eyes shot open. A noise had woken him. As he remembered where he was he realised that it was probably nothing. Unfortunately six months alone on the road had made him a rather light sleeper and his brain would almost always waken him if there was a noise it didn't expect nearby. This one had been footsteps passed the door and down the stairs. Jason glanced out the window. It was still the dead of night.<p>

He pushed the bed covers off his body and swung gently out of the bed. He didn't bother to put his boots on. That's when he heard it. Talking. It was coming from the front room downstairs. Jason opened his door as quietly as possible and pressed his ear against Carl's door. He could hear soft breathing. Carl was asleep. That meant the talking must be Michonne and Rick, providing no one has snuck in but he dismissed the idea. Michonne wouldn't let that happen.

He carefully approached the staircase, making sure his feet landed quietly and softly enough to avoid provoking the floorboards to creak. He hid in the darkness of the landing so he wouldn't be spotted from the front room. Rick and Michonne were indeed talking. He listened in.

"What do you think of him?" Rick asked the samurai, keeping his voice low.

"He's reckless." She answered. "But he seems to be sincere."

"The Governor seemed sincere before…" Rick mused aloud to her.

Michonne narrowed her eyes at the mention of the one-eyed monster. "He was too sincere. It wasn't normal. Not for the world now."

Rick nodded slowly. "Well, I still don't trust him."

Michonne never moved her gaze from Rick. "Why not?"

"He has killed five people. He'll only talk about four of them." Rick explained. "He's hiding something. I don't like that."

"You think it was in cold blood?" Michonne asked the bearded man.

Rick shrugged, cleaning his revolver. "I don't know. But something happened."

"Rick, he told me about his parents." Michonne explained. "He broke down into tears. He's not like the Governor. He has a conscience."

"For now." Rick suggested cynically.

"Until you get better, we don't have much choice." Michonne told him, attempting to be pragmatic. "He can help. We just need to keep an eye on him."

Rick looked up from his revolver, looking around the room.

"I don't like how close Carl is getting to him." Rick admitted. "He's still upset. Not thinking straight."

"Or he's desperate to have someone close to his own age." Michonne suggested. The age gap was still about five or six years but it was better than fifteen. "Last young person he was close to was Patrick."

Rick grimaced at the mention of Patrick's name. The friendly and clever boy who was the first to get sick. They lost a lot of people after he turned. It had been chaos in the prison. Fate had been cruel. A new flu that claimed lives followed by the Governor's assault when they were at their weakest.

"We don't even know what age he is." Rick commented. "Maybe eighteen?"

"Can't be much older than that." Michonne answered, thinking aloud.

"He's getting too close to Carl." Rick continued. "Something doesn't feel right."

"You should talk to him." Michonne advised. "I can take Carl on a run to give you privacy."

Rick nodded. It sounded like a good idea. Carl wouldn't complain about being allowed to go on a run. Jason could keep watch the following night as an excuse to not go out on the run the following morning. That would also make him more likely to talk as tiredness can lower psychological defences. Rick had to make sure he could be trusted. He had to keep his son safe.

"Carl says he's one of us." Rick told Michonne after standing up. His tone was thick with uncertainty.

"Carl said the same thing about me, remember?" Michonne pointed out.

Rick nodded but didn't speak. She had a point. Initially he hadn't trusted Michonne at all and had no intention of doing so while the threat of the Governor loomed. Carl had made the call that she was one of their group and he hadn't been wrong. Could he be right about Jason? Only time would tell. He made his way back to the stairs, forcing Jason to quickly retreat back to his room.

Jason closed the door silently before Rick reached the top of the stairs. He listened as the man quietly walked passed the door and headed to the other bedroom. Jason lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, the paint was peeling all over. They still didn't trust him. It hurt. They had been acting more trusting and friendly for the sake of Carl. He could understand why but he had always preferred people to be honest. Jason sighed. He would have to prove himself to them and have that talk with Rick. He wasn't looking forward to it.

* * *

><p>Carl awoke and rubbed his eyes to remove the sleep from them. He pushed the covers off himself and yawned before putting his shoes on and tying the laces. He listened out but couldn't hear any talking. Looking out the window the sun was still pretty low in the sky so he assumed it was still rather early. Apart from Michonne, he must have been the first one to wake up. He recalled how Jason had woken him up by tickling him the previous day and decided he would make good on his threat by getting revenge. He smirked to himself. He would win this time.<p>

Carl carefully opened his door and listened closely. He could hear his father's soft snores, so at least he was still asleep. Jason's door was still shut so chances are he was still asleep too. Carl carefully made his way to the room, opening and closing the door quietly behind. Just as he had predicted, Jason was lying on his back and appeared to be fast asleep. This was going to be good.

Carl removed the covers just as Jason had done to him and prepared to start his tickle assault but stopped himself. Jason wasn't wearing his black long sleeved shirt like he usually did. He was topless. Carl stopped for a moment to study Jason's exposed torso. Scars on his arms looked like the evidence of past self-harm and a scar on his abdomen looked like a knife may have been the cause. It made Carl more and more curious about the young man's past. Why did he have these scars? Every scar told a story. His father had a bullet scar and so did he. What was Jason's story?

The other thing that stood out to Carl about Jason's body was that the young man was obviously in good shape. His shirt and jacket made him look slim like Carl but underneath it his arm muscles were defined along with his abs. They weren't large and were far smaller and more subtle than he remembered Shane's muscles being but they were there. Carl felt a slight twang of envy. His body wasn't like that yet. His father had called him a man but his body was still that of a child. Checking that Jason was still asleep, Carl ghosted his hand over Jason's abdominal muscles and the scar that joined them. The scar was thick and very obvious to touch. If he had been stabbed it had clearly been with a large blade.

Jason stirred in his sleep. There was an odd sensation on his stomach and slightly lower down. It was faint but he was still mostly unconscious. Scenarios went through his mind on what it could be as he remained still, trying to feel out more information. Perhaps it was a walker that had made it in and was ripping him open to eat him, in which case his sleepy mind decided it was best to just go back to sleep. The feeling continued but without any pain however. It was more of an irritation, like an insect crawling over him. Perhaps that's what it was, a spider or fly that had landed on him and was exploring his skin. If it was venomous the last thing he should do is move. He didn't want to be bitten. As Jason regained consciousness he realised it couldn't be an insect, unless the insect didn't have any legs. Jason opened his eyes.

His breath caught in his chest. For some unknown reason, Carl was not only standing by his bedside but he had removed the covers and was currently tentatively touching his abs and the scar from his stab wound. Jason started to wake up quickly, his mind firing into action to try and explain what the boy was doing. Part of him wanted to pretend he was still sleeping just so he could see what Carl would do next but he remembered Rick's suspicions, threat and distrust and decided it best to alert Carl to the fact he was awake.

"See something you like?" Jason teased the boy, knowing this would get a reaction.

Carl jumped, instantly removing his hand from Jason's torso as his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. He stammered his reply.

"No…I…was just looking at your scar." Carl defended. It wasn't a lie.

Jason tried to keep his expression vague and unreadable, though he was enjoying Carl's embarrassment a little too much.

"And what are you doing standing over me as I sleep?" He continued to be difficult.

Carl lowered his gaze to the floor in an attempt to hide his burning face from view.

"I came in to tickle you awake." Carl confessed. "Like you did to me."

"What stopped you?" Jason asked the boy, curious as to why Carl hadn't just tickled him. It would have worked but he chose not to mention that.

"Your scars." Carl said lowly. "I didn't know you had any."

"They were my own fault." Jason answered, sitting up and slipping his top back on in case Rick was to appear from nowhere.

"My dad has scars." Carl told him, trying to deflect attention from himself.

"How did he get them?" Jason asked, swinging his legs out of the bed.

"He got shot at work." Carl explained. "Then he got stabbed a few months ago on a run."

Jason had slipped his boots on and was tying the laces as he answered. "I've never been shot. Can't imagine how painful it must be."

Carl hesitated before speaking. "I've been shot before."

Jason looked up in surprise. "Who'd want to shoot you?"

Jason quickly cursed himself for phrasing his question that way. If Rick had been listening he could have taken it the wrong way. He could have thought Jason was flirting with his son, which wasn't the case. Carl just seemed so nice all the time it was hard to imagine someone shooting him. Unless they were a monster of a person.

Carl didn't appear to have registered the possible meaning behind the phrasing of the question and answered anyway.

"It was an accident. A farmer was hunting a deer." Carl explained. "He shot the deer but the bullet hit me too. He hadn't seen me."

"You're one lucky boy." Jason told him. "But how'd you survive?"

"The owner of the farm was a vet." Carl explained. "He saved my life. I just wish I could have done the same."

Carl went quiet. Jason could tell he was placing unnecessary blame for the death of the man on himself.

"What kind of man was he?" Jason asked him softly, curious.

"Hershel was great. He had an answer to everything." Carl told him, his eyes lighting up with a mix of sadness and admiration. "He was like a grandfather to me."

Jason smiled. He felt sorry for not having met such a wonderful man in this dark world.

"Carl? He doesn't blame you for what happened." Jason told him. "So don't blame yourself, okay?"

Carl nodded. There were no tears this time. Jason guessed that Carl was starting to get over some of his grief and was starting to focus more on the here and now. This was a positive step forward. One that he struggled with every day.

"How'd you get those muscles on your stomach?" Carl asked out of the blue, looking down again. "Only person I ever saw with them was Daryl…"

"Just got to exercise when you can really." Jason answered with a shrug. "I'm sure you'll get them eventually."

Carl nodded, still looking down.

"Besides, nowadays it should always be function over fashion." Jason told him, standing up from the bed. "Better to _be _strong than to just look strong."

Carl didn't look up. He was still embarrassed about having been caught and now openly admitted he took some form of interest in Jason's body, even if it was one of envy.

"When you're older you're going to be stronger than your dad." Jason told him with a smile. "I'm sure of it."

Carl nodded but didn't give a verbal response. Jason still needed to mark his tally for the day but didn't want to do it in front of Carl and raise questions.

"Why don't you head down and check on Michonne?" He suggested to the boy.

Carl nodded and opened the door, closing it over behind him as he headed for the stairs. Jason wasn't sure why he had gone quiet all of a sudden. The boy was a mystery sometimes.

From the landing of the staircase, Carl watched Jason through the gap in the door as he pulled out his notebook from his bag and marked his daily tally. Once he had done that, he started getting ready for the day as Carl descended the stairs to the front room where Michonne was.

Michonne lay in the middle of the room on the floor as she performed her morning exercises. She had her legs in the air and her hands behind her head as she raised her body, performing complicated sit ups.

"Someone's up early." She commented as he entered the room.

"Yeah, I just woke up." Carl admitted.

"You could go back to sleep if you like." Michonne told him. "I don't think your dad would mind."

Carl shrugged. "I'm up now."

Carl headed for the kitchen to pour himself some cereal. Michonne stopped her workout for a moment, she had tried to get him to go back to sleep so she or Rick could talk to Jason in private. So much for that plan.

When Jason descended the stairs she didn't speak right away. Had Jason not heard her conversation with Rick he would have assumed she was just tired from keeping watch but he had heard and he had some idea of what she was thinking.

"Morning." He greeted her all the same. "Thanks for keeping watch, I know how boring it can be."

"Good." Michonne replied. "Because it's your turn tonight."

Jason nodded and joined Carl in the kitchen. As he was pouring the cereal Michonne came through to join them. She was about to sit down but realised that Rick didn't appear to be awake yet. They needed to make plans and he always insisted on being the one making them. He could rest through the day so she headed back out of the kitchen.

"Just going to wake your dad." She told Carl after he gave a confused look.

Rick had just woken from his sleep as Michonne opened the door with a smile. Noticing that he was just waking up at that moment she decided to tease him a little.

"We were beginning to worry you were getting too old to get out of bed." She teased.

Rick scratched his beard as he stood up. "I never need to worry when I know you'll come up to help me."

They both gave a light laugh. They had bonded much closer over the past few months and especially over the past few days. They had no idea if anyone else from the prison had made it out so keeping Michonne and Carl close was Rick's priority.

"Is Carl up?" Rick asked as he tightened his shoes.

"He was the first to wake up." Michonne told him.

"Guess he didn't spend all night reading comic books then." Rick chuckled. He remembered the nights at the prison when he would catch Carl using a flashlight to read comics because he couldn't sleep.

Rick and Michonne made their way into the kitchen and sat at the table with Jason and Carl. Jason felt wary of Rick. He knew something would have to happen between them for trust to be fully earned or destroyed. He noticed that the cereal had ran out now that they all had their bowlfuls.

"Looks like we need more cereal." Jason pointed out.

"We could go look for some." Carl suggested, looking at Jason.

"No." Rick interjected quickly.

"Seriously?" Carl retorted. "What? Am I a defenceless kid again?"

"Carl, your dad just doesn't want anything to happen to you." Michonne tried to prevent the brewing argument.

"You mean he doesn't trust me. I managed fine on my own before." Carl countered. "And this time Jason will be with me so I won't be alone."

Rick glared across the table at Carl. "You're not going out there. Alone or with Jason."

"What if Michonne comes with us?" Jason suggested, trying his best not to antagonise Rick.

"She'll be tired from keeping watch." Rick countered. "That's not fair on her."

"It's just for some cereal, dad." Carl spat. "Cereal."

The two Grimes stared each other down. Rick wouldn't back down because his love and need to protect his son wouldn't allow him to do so. Carl wouldn't back down because his confidence and need to prove himself to his father wouldn't allow him to do so.

Jason stared across the table at Michonne. He stared her right in the eyes and lifted his eyebrows, trying to prompt her to say something.

"Rick, its fine." She interrupted the staring contest. "It will be a short run. I'll go with them."

Rick sighed and nodded his head. He didn't feel it was fair on Michonne but he realised this was the best way to keep the argument from exploding and ruining the day.

"Will you be alright on your own?" Jason asked Rick, trying to show concern when the opportunity presented itself.

"Yeah I'll be fine." Rick answered gruffly. "I'll just sleep for a couple hours."

* * *

><p>Half an hour later and Carl, Michonne and Jason were walking through the quiet neighbourhood. The only sound apart from their footsteps was the occasional bird and the movement of the plants and trees under the force of the wind. One thing they could all agree on was that they had been very lucky with having found an area that had very few walkers. Jason knew from first-hand experience, however, that if a large herd was to pass through then they would all be killed. This was the main reason they had agreed that each night someone stayed up to keep watch. They would need all the time they could get to escape from a herd as that many walkers could tear all the houses down let alone the one they stayed in. People were another persistent threat that would present itself on occasion. Jason felt fortunate that he had only encountered two dangerous individuals in the last six months but a bad feeling in his gut told him that was about to change soon.<p>

Behind him, Carl and Michonne chatted away like the zombie apocalypse wasn't taking place.

"I don't believe for a second that you didn't do some kind of sport!" Carl exclaimed with an incredulous look at Michonne.

"I swear, sport wasn't my thing." She replied with a laugh. "I would go out jogging and go to the gym but sport was too competitive."

"But sports can be so much fun!" Carl continued.

"What? You trying to say I'm not any fun?" Michonne teased, pretending to look hurt.

"No! But we could have much more fun if you knew some sports!" Carl countered.

"I don't think so." Michonne laughed. "I'm not the sporty type."

"I'll make you a deal." Carl beamed, a cheeky smirk on his face.

"Oh yeah?" Michonne questioned, curious to hear his proposition.

"I'll teach you some sports and in return you teach me how to use a sword." Carl declared excitedly.

"You want to know how to use the sword?" Michonne asked, surprised that he would be interested.

"Yeah, it's one of the most badass weapons I've seen anyone use!" Carl complimented.

"Oh, one of the most badass weapons?" Michonne noted his word usage. "What others are there?"

"I always wanted to try Daryl's crossbow." Carl admitted. "He promised to teach me but…"

Carl trailed off, the painful memories of the prison coming back with a vengeance. Michonne wrapped an arm around the boy, cocking her head to peer under his hat.

"I'm sure Daryl's fine." Michonne tried to reassure him. "He's one of the toughest people we've known."

Carl nodded. Michonne was probably right but it still hurt so badly. What hurt more wasn't the possibility of them all being dead but the simple fact that they had no way of knowing. Even if they were alive there was a very slim chance they would ever see each other again.

Jason stopped walking and got their attention. He gestured to the house they had stopped in front of.

"We haven't checked this one yet." He said, focused. "So we can start here."

They quickly made their way to the front door which was locked. They were used to that being the case so they were prepared. Jason took the right side of the door and Carl took the left. They both had their guns at the ready while Michonne stood a few feet back from the door, sword in hand.

"Okay. Quick and quiet, agreed?" Jason confirmed, earning nods from both Carl and Michonne.

"Okay, I'll break the door down. Carl, we stay where we are." Jason explained. "I'll bang the door a couple times. If one comes out Michonne can slice its head off."

Jason moved in front of the door and waited for a moment, looking at Carl.

"If there's a few of them, we'll cover Michonne." He told the teen who nodded and made sure he was ready.

Jason barged the door open with his shoulder and stepped back to his original position at the side of the doorway. He tapped his gun against the door loudly, the sound of metal hitting wood being rather sharp and loud. A groan sounded from inside the house. Jason signalled for Michonne to wait a moment.

After a few more beats a walker revealed itself in the room. Michonne tightened her grip on her sword and stormed forward. The walker saw her and snarled, stumbling towards her only to receive the tip of the sword straight into its forehead. The walker stopped moving and collapsed to the floor once Michonne retracted her sword from its skull. From behind some of the furniture, three more walkers appeared as if out of thin air. Due to the hallway that she stood in, Michonne couldn't swing her sword and could easily be overwhelmed.

Three shots sounded loudly from behind her as the walkers dropped to the floor. She turned round to see Jason and Carl side by side in the doorway, their guns aimed at where the walkers once stood. The formation that Jason had suggested, one which she had used with Daryl and Rick in the past, had worked perfectly. She was grateful that both of her companions had good aim. Jason was much more focused than last time. Was it because Carl was with them or because some of what she said the previous day had sank in?

Inside the house silence dominated. No more iconic groans or snarls of walkers could be heard. They didn't need to speak, they all knew what they needed to do. They would search each room for the supplies inside and regroup in the front room. If they found a decent amount of cereal they wouldn't need to go to another house or on another room. If they only found one box or so then they would need to go on another run the following day. They split up and began searching different rooms.

Michonne started with the master bedroom. She decided to grab some things that could serve multiple purposes, such as hair brushes and perfume. Perfume was flammable and could be used as a desperate weapon or to help fuel a fire. Hair brushes could help with cleaning as well as their traditional use. She also found some clothes that could replace her current outfit so she folded them up and placed them in her bag as well.

Jason was clearing the front room of supplies. The three walkers they had met upon entry had all formed a suicide pact and overdosed together. There were still plenty of pills and they could be used for a lot of different medical problems. He sealed the bottles and bagged them. On the floor lay a revolver. Jason picked it up by the barrel and discovered that the handle was broken. It was a mystery what happened to this gun for that to happen. He emptied the cylindrical chamber and pocketed the bullets, they looked like they would fit Rick's Colt Python.

Carl was in the kitchen searching for canned food and most importantly cereal. He opened the various cabinets but couldn't find any cereal. There were plenty of canned foods that he was able to take along with some knives from the cutlery drawer. The last place left to look was a large kitchen cupboard. He opened the door and jumped back in fear as a walker came charging out from behind the door. Carl tried to aim in time but the walker was upon him and grabbed his shoulders with a surprisingly vice-like grip. The weight of the walker pushed him back against the counter, the sharp pain causing him to drop his gun as he grabbed the walker by the arms and tried to fight his way out of the grip. The walker was bigger and heavier than Carl and continued to push him against the counter and the kitchen table as it relentlessly tried to bite the young teen.

Jason heard the commotion and ran for the kitchen, hearing Carl's shouts of effort and fear as the walker threatened to overpower him. Michonne, still upstairs also heard the struggle and ran for the stairs, practically jumping down them to get to him in time. Jason burst into the kitchen and saw that the walker had Carl pinned against the wall and by the looks of things his arms were about to give way. He grabbed the first hard object he could find that lay on the counter, a stainless steel teapot, and slammed it into the walker's head. The walker let go of Carl and dropped to the floor. Jason pinned it down and started to slam the teapot into its head repeatedly. Blood splattered over the floor and on the wall while the base of the teapot was now a dark crimson. Jason's hands were covered and blood splats decorated his jacket.

He dropped the teapot to the floor, the metal clang resonating on the tiles and stood up. He looked at Carl who was had already retrieved his gun and was catching his breath.

"You okay?" He asked, trying to catch his own breath.

Carl nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Jason looked at the open door, when closed it looked like a kitchen cupboard but now that it was open it was revealed to be another walk-in pantry.

"What is it with fucking pantries?" Jason cursed, finding some dark humour to the situation now that he knew Carl was safe.

Michonne gave Carl an almost motherly back rub while she made sure he was as fine as he said he was. Once she was sure, she stepped forward and looked inside the pantry. There weren't many cans of food but there were three boxes of cereal sitting on one of the shelves.

* * *

><p>By the time they had returned Rick had woken up. They sat in the front room and went through the supplies they had gathered. It wasn't much compared to previous trips but some more canned food, three boxes of cereal and several potential weapons or tools were useful.<p>

Jason eyed Michonne's sword, which sat in its scabbard on the armchair.

"You know, a friend's grandfather once made me a samurai sword as a gift." Jason explained. "It was a beautiful sword and he even engraved my name onto the blade."

"What happened to it?" Michonne asked, as it was evident he didn't have the sword.

"It got left behind in my parent's house. I never did go back to get it." Jason answered. "I couldn't bring myself to do that."

"Sometimes it's for the best." Rick commented.

"It's a shame though." Jason continued. "Carl could have had it after Michonne teaches him how to use it."

Michonne smiled at Jason's thoughtfulness on that point but immediately noticed that Carl was quieter than usual. He was obviously still shaken up from the walker attack. What she didn't know was that it wasn't the shock or fear, it was the guilty feeling of helplessness at having been saved again. That incident had proven his father's fears to be well placed.

"I forgot to mention, I got myself a hat." Michonne said, nudging Carl to get his attention.

From her bag, she pulled out a large fluffy pink hat with a feather on top of it. The pink hat combined with her dreadlocks and dark attire made her look positively ridiculous. This was enough to get a laugh out of Carl, which in turn brought a smile to Rick's face and that of Jason.

Jason stood up and grabbed his bag.

"Since I'm taking watch tonight." He told them. "I'm going to get a quick sleep beforehand. Wake me when it's time."

With that said and acknowledged, he headed up the stairs to the room he had been using and closed the door behind him. As soon as he had done so, he threw his bag against the far wall of the room and slumped down onto the bed.

* * *

><p><em>They had stepped out of the darkness as if they were a living shadow. A tall, heavy set man with a thick dark beard and long hair. He stood and blocked the path that Jason was travelling on. The sun had set behind the horizon an hour before and he had been looking for a place to spend the night. Jason quickly took out his gun and aimed it at the man. He didn't speak but instead waiting for the man to identify the situation. <em>

"_That's a nice weapon." The man taunted calmly. "What else you got?"_

"_A bag full of nothing." Jason answered, keeping his gun aimed at the man's head. _

"_I haven't seen a bag of nothing before!" The man continued in jest. "Mind if I take a look?"_

"_Mind getting out of my way before I put a bullet in you." Jason warned, though he was unsure if he would have it in him. _

_The man shook his head. Jason's vision went blurry, his mind just registering a sound from behind him as he collapsed to the ground in a daze. His gun clattered to the ground in front of him before being kicked aside by the stranger. Another pair of boots came into view to reveal they were a pair. Jason groaned as he tried to get back up but a kick to the head sent him into another blurry daze. One of the men lifted him off the ground so the other could take his backpack off and place it on the hood of an abandoned car. _

_Jason continued to try and get back to his feet but before he could get his bearings one of the two strangers lifted him onto his feet and dragged him to the other side of the car. They slammed his head against one of the windows before punching him twice in the side and gut. Jason let out a pained shout as the strikes connected, forcing his assailant to grab his neck, choking him. _

"_If you want to live a little longer you'll keep your fucking mouth shut!" The man threatened, conscious of any sounds that might attract the undead army to their location. _

_For good measure, Jason received a strong backhand across the face that burst his lip open and caused his cheek to burn with pain. The man then grabbed him by the hair, pulling it hard enough to generate tears in Jason's eyes before he slammed him face first into the car window again. Jason groaned in pain, trying desperately to regain his senses. Fortunately the hits to the head had nulled some of the pain from the more recent strikes and the adrenaline building in his system also acted like a painkiller. _

"_Well, well, well, the kid has some wonderful gifts for us in here." The first man called out to his partner in crime from the other side of the car. "You should thank him!"_

_Jason's head was rammed against the glass again, the force of the impact causing it to crack slightly. He heard the sound of a belt buckle being undone and that's when he realised what they meant by thanking him. This disgusting man behind him was planning on raping him. The apocalypse truly was the home of monsters. Jason had always been taught to respect the law, with a police officer for a father he didn't have much choice. Laws didn't exist anymore. Only the laws of nature remained. Survival of the fittest. _

_The man behind him had lowered his jeans and now had one hand snake round to undo Jason's while the other pinned his head against the car. Jason took the opportunity and flipped one of his legs up, firmly landing his foot on the man's groin. The man let out a grunt of pain and dropped to his knees. Jason whipped round and grabbed the man's head with both hands. Using all the strength he had he slammed the man's face into the back bumper of the car, bursting his nose open in a sudden display of crimson. _

_Spotting the knife the man had on his belt, Jason quickly reached down and grabbed it. Heart pumping full of adrenaline, fear and anger, he plunged the knife into the man's throat. The man gargled out in shock and pain as blood sprayed out of the wound at high pressure, covering Jason's front. _

_Jason pulled out the knife and turned round, preparing to get the other man but instead he received a sudden punch to the face that knocked him off balance. He staggered as he felt the blood trickle down from his nose and past his lips. He tried to react but a sharp kick to his leg brought him down on one knee. Jason tried desperately to get back to his feet but another kick hit him straight in the chest, winding him and leaving him gasping for breath. _

_As he struggled for air, the man loomed over him with the knife in hand and plunged it into his lower stomach. Jason let out a scream of pain as his chest rapidly rose and fell with each desperate pant of adrenaline and fear. He looked up at the bearded man who wore a look of pure hatred on his face. _

"_I hope you enjoy pain asshole!" The man bellowed in his face. "Because I'm going to make this fucking slow!"_

_Jason's eyes scanned down and noticed the man's Glock handgun stuffed in the front of his belt. He quickly returned his eyes to the man's face which was now inches from his own, bubbling with fury. Jason spat blood into the man's face and reached for the gun. He pulled it out in one swift motion and quickly pulled the trigger, shooting the man in the gut. The bearded man doubled over onto his back from the shot, wailing in pain. _

_Jason struggled to his feet, the knife still embedded in his torso. His breathing was laboured, his vision blurry and his face blooded. The man continued to shout in pain, trying to claw away from the advancing young man. Jason grimaced from the agony that shot through his body as his legs felt weak and his head felt light, the effects of blood-loss setting in. He aimed the Glock at the man's chest and fire two more times. _

_Suddenly his left leg buckled, bringing him down on one knee. The knife in his side was agony and the temptation to pull it out was phenomenal but the one rational part of his brain that was still working told him it was best not to. He growled in agony as he lifted himself back on two feet and used the car for support. Jason grabbed his back from the hood, all the contents were fortunately still inside, then picked up his gun from the ground and opened the back door of the car. He forced himself inside and closed the door, he knew that plenty of undead freaks would be on their way because of the shots he had fired. He collapsed on the floor between the front and back seats and felt himself slip out of consciousness as everything went dark._

* * *

><p>Jason fluttered his eyes open. His body clock had told him he didn't have long to sleep. The room was fairly dark so it was obviously night time outside. A light source became obvious as his eyes adjusted to their surroundings. By the way the light shined on the wall next to him it was a flashlight in the room. He turned his head to look over at where he had left his bag and a mix of panic and rage set in.<p>

Hunched over his bag, his precious notebook in hand, was none other than Rick Grimes. Not only was he looking at the tally marks on the pages but he had also found a photo that was hidden between them. He had no right to look at that. Jason didn't care what justification Rick had. Lack of trust. Needing to protect his son. Being the intimidating leader. This was one thing Jason wouldn't tolerate no matter who it was.

Jason gently placed his feet on the floor so as to not make any noise and stood up. His right hand rested on the top of his gun which sat in his leg holster. Rick still hadn't noticed as he was too busy studying the book and the photo.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Jason hissed, causing the older man to spin round in surprise.

Rick's eyes settled on Jason's infuriated glare.

"I needed to know who you are." Rick answered with an icy cold. "_What_ you are."

"You could have asked!" Jason hissed, taking a step forward.

"I _did_." Rick spat back. "You didn't answer."

Jason glared, as if trying to kill Rick with his stare for invading his privacy in such a reckless and obtuse way. His hand tightened round the grip of his gun, feeling his self-control slipping.

Rick took a clip out of his pocket and held it up to the light. "You might need this."

Jason growled. Rick had anticipated any violence and removed the ammo from his gun. The gun that was given to him six months ago.

Rick held up the picture that had been in the notebook. It depicted a laughing Jason with his arm around a young man with blonde hair who was also laughing. They were both roughly the same age, with the blonde looking slightly younger than Jason did.

"Was that who you killed?" Rick interrogated him. "Is that what you won't talk about?"

Jason's right eye twitched from a mixture of rage and pain. So many negative emotions were boiling inside him and were bubbling to the surface. There was no way to tell whether he was going to scream with rage or cry with grief.

"Why ask if you already know the damn answer!" Jason snarled, his eye still twitching.

Rick glared at him, tilting his head down in his classic look of intimidation. "Because I need to know that you're not a threat to me, to Michonne or to _Carl_."

Jason felt himself reach his breaking point. Tears of grief cascaded down his face that still bore the expression of his rage at the betrayal of his privacy.

"Have you ever made a mistake that you could never forgive yourself for?" Jason spat at the man. "A mistake that cost the life of someone truly precious to you?"

Jason's tears continued to fall from his eyes like rain.

"A person so important that when they died, you died too." Jason continued. "Forcing yourself to live with that pain inside you. Every minute of every day. Well, have you?!"

Rick froze on the spot in thought. _Lori_. When she had died he had lost his grip on sanity. He blamed himself, punished himself. He did it every day. He saw visions of her whenever important decisions needed to be made. He wished he could have taken it all back, done things differently and fixed things. The pain and rage that had shot through him when the Governor had spoken about her and Shane was powerful. He could still feel it. It had been _his _fault she had died. Rick had made the choice not to kill the last hostile prison inmate and just left him for dead instead. The lunatic had come back and attacked the prison from the inside, releasing walkers everywhere. As a consequence, Lori went into labour in a dangerous, dark room inside the walker infested prison tombs. She had died as a consequence of his mistake. That's why she had haunted him so much. Why she _still_ haunted him.

Rick came out of his thoughts and stared at the crying young man in front of him. Here was someone who had obviously made a similar mistake. Instead of going crazy and hallucinating, he simply counted days in a notebook. He remembered the person. Looked at them every day and focused on surviving. Now he was with them, helping them to survive instead of giving into his grief. His private grief.

Rick had the best intentions in mind when he sneaked into the bedroom. He needed to keep his son safe which was something that was getting harder and harder in an ever more brutal word. Instead of uncovering some dark secret that proved Jason was a threat, he had ended up standing in front of the young man and taunting him with the death of his loved one. Rick would kill someone who tried to do that to him with Lori or anyone else that had died as a result of his mistakes.

Rick swayed on the spot before nodded slowly. He stared the young man directly in the eyes instead of averting his gaze.

"Carl's mother." He confessed. "I made a mistake and she died for it."

Jason was aware that Carl's mother was dead simply from her absence and the lack of any mention of her. He hadn't expected it to have been Rick's fault, whether directly or indirectly, it wasn't something he had expected to hear.

Jason looked down at the floor and wiped his tear stained eyes before looking back up at Rick.

"So now you know why I didn't want to tell you before." Jason told him, his voice low.

Rick nodded with understanding. It had been a complicated situation and neither decision had been the right one. There was no magic answer.

"So why are we fighting?" Jason asked the bearded man.

Rick stared back at the young man, glancing back to the notebook and picture along with his Colt Python that was holstered on his leg.

"Because I needed to make sure Carl was safe." Rick finally answered. "I'll do anything to keep him safe. Anything."

"I heard you talk about me to Michonne last night." Jason confessed.

"I'm sorry." Rick apologised and was about to say more but Jason interrupted him.

"No, I'm sorry, Rick." Jason replied. "This was my fault."

"Carl's safety is all that matters to me anymore." Rick admitted to him. "I'll die to keep him safe."

Jason nodded. Rick was a true father through and through. However, they lived in a very brutal world that was never going to get any better, only worse.

"But he's never going to be safe." Jason countered. "None of us are safe."

Rick nodded slowly in silent acceptance of the painful truth and the reality of the world. Nobody was safe no matter where they were. Safety was just a temporary illusion. He closed Jason's notebook after returning the photo to its original place and placed the book back into the bag.

"None of us are safe." Jason repeated. "But there is safety in numbers."

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was a pretty heavy one to write actually. A lot of varied emotions and plot points that I needed to get done. <strong>

**Carl is a hard one to keep in character when placed in situations unlike anything he has ever been in during the show, so I've been forced to use a bit of guess work. I hope it's not too far off the mark. **

**One reviewer pointed out that Rick and Michonne seemed to accept Jason too quickly, so I feel I not only rectified that but gave it a far better pay-off at the end. I don't see Rick's actions at the end being out of character either. He's a police officer with no restrictions. Snooping isn't beneath him. **

**I hope the Carl/Michonne moments were satisfying as I can honestly admit they are a lot of fun to write. **

**Also, to the guest reviewer who insinuated that I was copying another author's fanfiction: The core concept may be similar (Male OC bonding with Carl) but that's where the similarities end. I'll be going in a completely different direction. In any case, there are many fanfictions with the same premise for a multitude of characters. **

**Next chapter will focus more on the episode Claimed. I wasn't sure how much time passes between After and Claimed, so I figured a couple days at most was enough. **

**I should also point out that I place Easter Eggs in my creative works all the time. A couple people pointed out the 28 Days Later reference in chapter 3 but there are many other different references in all the chapters. Cookies are awarded to those who find them. **

**Thanks go out to my reviewers: RainbowO; Madison188; isabelgastelum2000; rk0192; Lithophene and the various guests. **

**Constructive criticism is appreciated. Flames are used to cook waffles. **


	5. Accepted

**ACCEPTED**

The room was dark. The great consuming darkness of the night enveloped the room. Furniture became simple shadows amongst greater shadows. The clouds hid the moon from view making the night even darker than it usually was. There was complete silence in the house and outside. Not even insects appeared to be making any sounds. Jason sat in the room alone with only the silent darkness to keep him company. He observed a walker as it stumbled aimlessly down the street outside. From what he could see, it wore a police officer's uniform, the gun was missing from the holster and the rotting flesh of the face showed that this walker turned many months before. The more Jason watched the walking corpse, the more he thought about it. Though it was just a monster now, a threat that he had to take care of daily, it was once a person. That man had been a police officer. A man who had a sense of duty and responsibility to protect others. He could have had a family, a wife and kids. He could have had many funny and interesting life stories and lessons to tell you. He could have been an amazing friend and lots of fun on a night out. Now he was dead. Gone. An empty shell that wandered from place to place in search of food. They had a lot in common.

A floorboard creaked off to his left. Jason whipped his head around, reaching for his knife as a reflex action. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, obscured by the darkness, was Carl. Carl quietly made his way over and sat beside the young man.

"Hey." He greeted quietly.

"What's up?" Jason responded with a soft but curious smile.

Carl rubbed his eyes. "Can't sleep."

Jason gestured to his side. "Sit for a while then."

Carl smiled and did as he was told, sitting next to Jason. It was so dark in the room he could barely see Jason's face even when the young man stared right at him. He didn't mind the room being dark though. Jason had resumed his constant stare out the window, giving Carl time to observe him and think about some things.

"Did you ever have anyone special before or after…_this_?" Carl asked out of the blue.

"What do you mean by special?" Jason asked, turning to the boy with a smile. He knew exactly what Carl meant but he wanted the boy to be blunt.

Carl hesitated a little. "Well, my Dad had my Mum and Glen had Maggie…"

"You mean a girlfriend?" Jason asked the teen.

Carl nodded but due to the darkness decided to vocalise his response.

"Yeah."

Jason smiled. It was such an innocent yet also personal question. He reminded himself that Carl was at that age now where he would start questioning these things. Despite the zombie apocalypse, he was still bound to have urges.

"Sort of." Jason answered softly. It wasn't a lie.

"What do you mean by _sort of_?" Carl asked him, somewhat confused.

Jason couldn't help but smile. He had done the mathematics in his head and figured Carl had been twelve when everything changed. That would leave it open to reason that he probably had no concept of the variety of different relationships people could have. He probably didn't know what homosexuality even meant, let alone bisexuality, pansexuality and all the other weird and wonderful labels that were applied to people.

Jason turned on the spot to face Carl. "How about we play a game?"

"What kind of game?" Carl asked in confusion. He wanted to know more about Jason, not play games in the middle of the night.

"It's called Truths." Jason answered. "We take turns asking each other questions and we have to answer."

Carl's face lit up in the darkness. This is one game he wanted to play. He nodded.

"Okay." Carl accepted and took it upon himself to start. "So, what did you mean by _sort of_?"

Jason rubbed the back of his head and hoped Carl truly had no knowledge of these things and therefore no preinstalled bigotry.

"I had someone I was in love with but it wasn't a girl." He admitted cautiously, trying to read Carl's reaction. "It was a guy, a couple years younger than me. He was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Carl scrunched his face in confusion. "I didn't know guys could love other guys like that."

Jason let out a quiet laugh of relief.

"Well, they can. Back before the world ended we called guys like that homosexuals, or gay for short." Jason explained. "But there were many different sexualities based on what people felt they were attracted to."

Carl nodded, taking all this new information in. He had heard the term gay before but had never been told nor had he ever asked what it actually meant. Now he knew.

"So is that what you are?" Carl asked with slight hesitation, trying to use the word right. "Gay?"

Jason shook his head. "No, I'm what used to be called bisexual, or bi for short." He explained. "I find both genders attractive for different reasons."

Carl nodded in understanding. As he didn't ask anything else right away, Jason took it upon himself to make it his turn.

"So, what about you?" Jason asked. "Ever have someone special like that?"

Carl shook his head, he felt his face heat up from embarrassment.

"No. Never." Carl admitted. "There's not many people my age."

Jason nodded slowly but with a slight frown on his face. He felt sorry for Carl. The poor lad had dealt with all sorts of violence and fear but had never been allowed to enjoy the pleasure of romance.

"Well, you've still got plenty of time to meet someone special." Jason answered with an optimistic tone.

"Are you sure?" Carl asked, not willing to believe such optimism in the brutal world filled with death that they called home.

"As my father used to say; what's for you won't go by you." Jason quoted. "It means that if something is meant to happen to you then it will. No exceptions."

Carl shrugged and accepted it. There could be truth to the statement and it wasn't overly optimistic either. It could apply to bad things too.

"Was your boyfriend the fifth person you killed?" Carl asked, continuing the game and hoping his question wasn't too difficult to answer.

Jason looked down at the floor. He remembered Michonne's words that he should open up and decided to follow through with it.

"Yeah. He was." Jason admitted painfully. "He got bit so I ended it for him."

"I'm sorry." Carl stated softly.

"Don't be." Jason answered with a soft smile. "It's not like it was your fault."

"I'm sorry I didn't get to meet him." Carl continued.

Jason felt tears sting his eyes. He hadn't expected Carl to make such a declaration and it really touched him. Carl wasn't asking to know what kind of killer Jason was, he was asking because he wanted to know. He cared.

"Me too." Jason answered, sniffing away the tears that threatened to fall.

"It's your turn." Carl reminded him, as he still wanted to continue the game. He was getting to see the pain Jason carried and felt a responsibility to share it with him. He had seen so much pain in his short life which made him want to take some of it away for those around him whenever possible.

Jason decided he should ask Carl a personal question as well. He hoped it didn't upset him too much.

"What happened to your mother?" Jason asked slowly and gently.

Carl's face dropped. The wound was still fresh because of the loss of his little sister.

"You don't have to answer that." Jason quickly added, fearing he had crossed a line.

"We were attacked from inside the prison. One of the inmates. Maggie, my mum and I were in the tombs." Carl explained slowly, not looking up. "There were walkers everywhere and she started to have the baby. It wouldn't come out."

Carl's breathing became heavier, the memory emotionally taxing for him.

"Maggie had to cut the baby out. My sister was fine but…" Carl trailed off, sniffing in the darkness. "My mum died. I shot her so she wouldn't come back."

Jason instantly recognised the parallels that were starting to form between Carl and himself. The boy in front of him had to shoot his own mother after seeing her die in front of him, probably in agony. Yet from that agony and death, came the joy and life of his baby sister. However, the baby had obviously been lost during the destruction of the prison. Now Jason understood.

Jason placed a hand on the teen's shoulder.

"She's in a better place and I'm sure she's proud of you." Jason told him, earning some tears from Carl who tried to hide their existence. "I'm sorry I didn't get to meet her."

Carl took a moment to control his breathing before continuing the game. Jason couldn't help but smile. The boy was like a dog with a bone.

"Why do you mark those tallies in your book?" Carl asked bluntly. He had asked this before and this time he wanted an answer. He felt that he deserved it.

"To remind myself that I'm still here and it happened." Jason answered truthfully, though he was hiding his guilt. Carl didn't need to know that.

"To remind yourself that he died?" Carl asked in continuation, careful of how he sounded when asking that question.

"Yeah but more that the relationship happened, you know?" Jason answered. "That he was real. I met him. I loved him. It wasn't a dream."

Carl accepted that. He wasn't sure how he felt about Jason torturing himself with the memory of the death every morning. He could understand wanting to remember the good times and to hold on to the proof of them having happened.

"You're a good shot, Carl." Jason asked suddenly, remembering the boy's aim when shooting walkers. "Who taught you?"

"My dad's best friend, Shane." Carl answered.

Jason didn't push for more information. He already could tell the man was dead and something must have happened as he had never been mentioned up until now.

"Do you think you'll ever love anyone else?" Carl asked abruptly. His speech had slowed as he was now lying back, slowly but surely falling asleep.

Jason shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe." He answered, seriously considering the possibility. "It would have to be someone truly special though…and unique."

He turned back to the fourteen year old to discover that he had finally fallen asleep. Jason couldn't help a light chuckle erupt from his throat. It was cute. He couldn't leave Carl lying on a hard floor so he got up and carefully slipped his arms under Carl's legs and back. Jason grunted as he lifted the boy's sleeping form. He was heavier than he looked. He carried the young teen up the stairs, his arms burning from the strain but he ignored it. When he reached the room Carl had been sleeping in, he lay him down on the bed and tucked him back in.

Before he turned to leave he studied the boy's sleeping face. He was so peaceful when he slept. You could never tell that he had experienced any of the horrible things that he had been forced to endure. He turned and headed for the door, closing it gently behind him so as to not make any noise. When he turned to head back down the stairs, he caught sight of Rick standing in one of the bedroom doorways watching him. He smiled and gave Jason a silent nod before returning to bed. Jason smiled and headed back down to continue his watch.

* * *

><p><em>Jason could hear the chattering of a generator. He felt dizzy and his limbs felt like lead weights. His eyes fluttered open to reveal a tiled ceiling. He could feel the soft embrace of a bed beneath his weak and heavy body. Strange sensations began to filter through his senses. Needles and wires were hooked up to his body and a soft beep could be heard with each of his heartbeats. Jason's eyes started scanning his surroundings. He was in a hospital ward. He was hooked up to a drip and a monitor. He slowly sat up, groaning in pain as he did so. He felt so disorientated. His memory started coming back to him violently. The two thieves. The fight. The stabbing. The walker herd. The car. An older man's face. Shouting. Lights. Then nothing. He held his head and groaned, trying to make sense of it all. <em>

_The door of the ward opened and an older man came in. His grey beard was clearly kept trimmed and his hair cut short. He wore the typical white coat of a doctor and carried a clipboard with him. He was the man from the car. Pain shot through Jason's head like a wasp was stinging his brain. He couldn't remember clearly. _

"_So, our patient is finally awake." The man stated. His voice was clear. His tone was friendly._

"_How are you feeling young man?" The doctor asked with a friendly smile. _

"_My head is pounding." Jason answered with a groan. "Where am I?"_

_The doctor handed him a glass of clear liquid. "Here, drink this. You're dehydrated and your blood sugar level is low."_

_Jason was in too much pain to argue. He took the glass and gulped some of it down, his face contorting slightly. His throat burned from the action of swallowing and his taste buds went crazy in reaction to the sweetness of the liquid._

"_What is this?" He grunted, examining the contents of the glass._

"_Sugar water." The doctor answered, handing him a small white paracetamol tablet. "Take it with this, it'll make you feel a bit better."_

_Jason did as he was told before he realised the pain that shot through his side. He looked down to find it bandaged up, the white cloth wrapped all the way round his body. _

"_What happened?" He asked, lying back as the pain shooting through him became too much._

"_We found you in a car, slowly bleeding to death." The doctor answered, turning off the generator and monitor. "You had a knife in you and were pretty badly beaten. We took you in."_

_The older man sat on the edge of the bed by Jason's legs._

"_I'm a doctor. We managed to stitch you up and get some fluids in you." The doctor explained, still smiling. "We also decided to give you a much needed shave and haircut."_

"_Where's my bag?!" Jason asked quickly, his memory starting to come back as the sugar in his system got to work._

"_On the chair beside you." The doctor gestured to the bag. "We only took away your weapons to be safe."_

"_Where are we?" Jason asked again, calming down._

"_In what is left of Harrison Memorial Hospital." The older man answered. "You're safe for now."_

_Jason nodded and relaxed slightly. He had to admit that the bed was indeed comfortable. Better than hard ground any day. _

"_We assumed your name to be Jason from your bag." The man continued. "That is your name, isn't it?"_

_Jason nodded slowly. _

"_I'm Bill." The man finally introduced himself. "Rest a little longer and come out when you feel strong enough. Your clothes are just underneath your bag."_

_With that said along with a nod from Jason, Bill stood back up and left the ward, closing the door gently behind him._

* * *

><p>It was morning and the sun shone through the windows of the house. The street outside was quiet yet again and the birds chirped happily up in the trees. Carl sat at the dining table of the house, his hat on the table next to him as he ate his morning breakfast of dry cereal. He had been surprised to wake up in his bed as he could only remember falling asleep on the front room floor next to Jason. Someone must have carried him into bed.<p>

Michonne's approach removed him from his thoughts. He turned his head and looked at her as she placed her own bowl down on the table. Carl instantly noticed that she had changed clothes as she now wore a slightly oversized white shirt. It was a striking contrast to her previous fashion sense. He couldn't help but laugh as she placed a couple water bottles on the table. Michonne stood back and rolled up the sleeves of the shirt.

"Do you have something to say about my extremely comfortable and attractive shirt?" She asked the boy with a grin.

Carl couldn't help but grin and laugh as he answered. "No, no, no, it…it looks great."

He then pointed at her stomach. "Oh uh, you missed a…" He pointed out she had missed one of the buttons, his sentence trailing off as she did the button up.

Michonne sat down and filled her bowl with what was left of the cereal in the packet.

"Wish we had some soy milk." She mused with a smile.

"Seriously?" Carl asked with an incredulous look.

"Yes, seriously!" Michonne retorted. "Have you ever tried it?"

"My best friend in third grade, he was allergic to dairy." Carl told her with a smile. "And every day he would bring this soy stuff to lunch. I tried it."

"And?" Michonne asked, curious.

"I threw up!" Carl declared with a cheeky smile.

Michonne couldn't help but grin. "Yeah right!"

"Alright, alright, I almost threw up." Carl confessed the truth. "But I was like…"

Carl made a noise and lurched forward, as if he was throwing up to emphasise his disgust for soy milk. This was enough to have Michonne laughing.

"It was so gross! Like literally!" Carl exclaimed. "I'd rather have powdered milk than to have to drink that stuff again!"

Michonne continued to laugh as she leaned forward to start eating.

"I'd rather have Judith's formula!" Carl declared and froze. Heartbreak stabbing into him like a sword.

Michonne also froze. Her face cold with the pain of loss.

Carl got up and rushed away from the table, leaving Michonne alone at the table with her thoughts.

Jason came in from the backdoor after getting some fresh hair as he saw Carl approach.

"Morning." He greeted with a smile.

Carl didn't look or speak. He just zoomed past the young man. Jason didn't take offence. He could tell something had upset Carl, so he walked through to the dining room and made eye contact with Michonne. Her face told him all that he needed to know. Heartbreak. Like Michonne, he decided to give Carl space.

Jason left Michonne where she was and headed upstairs to retrieve his bag and place a new tally mark in his notebook. Michonne finished eating and headed for the kitchen. Rick was there, making himself something to eat that wasn't cereal. He was sick of cereal.

"Thank you." He said to her with a soft smile. "I heard him laughing in there. Almost forgot what that sounded like."

Michonne let her eyes wander around the room. Rick wasn't aware that the laughter had almost ended in tears. Rick walked over to the table in the centre of the kitchen.

"I can't be his father and his best friend. He needs you and Jason." Rick told her. "I know that's a lot to ask, so if you feel you need a break…"

Michonne snapped her head up. "I'm done taking breaks."

Rick nodded in understanding.

"What was the argument about?" Michonne asked him. "Between you and Jason."

Rick thought for a moment, trying to figure out how best to word his explanation.

"He caught me looking in his bag." Rick confessed. "The fifth person he killed was his boyfriend. He feels guilty."

"Why? Was it in cold blood or a mercy killing?" Michonne asked, stepping forward.

"Sounds like a mercy killing." Rick answered. Pain flashed through his face. "It haunts him."

"Just like Lori haunts you." Michonne finished for him, sympathy in her eyes.

"Lori and everyone else at the prison." Rick breathed out painfully in memory.

Michonne leaned back against the counter as Rick turned around. She knew better than to push the point and let the subject drop.

"So what's the plan?" She asked. "Is this place home or just a stop along the way?"

Rick turned back around after thinking for a moment. "Let's just stay here while we figure it out."

Rick stared at Michonne, as if asking for her permission to stay at the house a little longer. Michonne nodded her head in acceptance and leaned forward off the counter.

"We should finish checking those houses." She said, preparing to head to the door.

"I'll come too." Rick offered.

Michonne narrowed her eyes. "You were in agony yesterday."

Rick shrugged. "I feel fine today."

"We need you strong." Michonne countered. "Just rest. Just one more day."

She grabbed a bag from the counter and walked out of the kitchen to get her sword. When she returned to the front room, Carl was standing there. His hat was on his head and he had put on a dark blue and grey chequered shirt. He had been listening and was ready to go on the run.

Jason descended down the stairs as Michonne placed her sword on her back.

"If you're going out on a run I'll come too." He offered, putting his bag on.

"No." Michonne answered. "You were up all night. Stay with Rick and rest."

Jason felt like protesting but he knew how stubborn Michonne could be in an argument and how intimidating she could be. He sighed and passed his bag to Carl.

"Here. Take my bag." He told the teen. "Better to have both hands free as often as possible."

Carl put the bag on his shoulders and nodded without saying a word. He and Michonne moved the couch and opened the front door, stepping out onto the porch.

Rick and Jason followed them out onto the porch.

"How long do you think you'll be?" Rick asked, looking out at the street.

"Couple houses shouldn't take long." Michonne responded. "We'll be back by noon."

Rick nodded and checked the watch Carol had given him. "It's eight-fifteen now."

Rick handed his revolver to Carl. "Now you follow her lead, you understand?"

Carl nodded and stuffed the revolver into the back of his belt. He was being unusually quiet, prompting Rick to take notice.

"Everything okay?" He asked in concern.

Carl thought for a moment. The heartbreak of losing everyone at the prison was stabbing his heart. The loss of his baby sister was tearing his heart to pieces and he knew his father and Jason had a fight the night before. The idea of leaving them alone could be troubling. Everything was not okay. Everything was the furthest thing from okay.

"Yeah." Carl lied. "I'm just hungry."

Michonne narrowed her eyes. His lie was obvious to her but apparently not so obvious to Rick, who patted his son on the shoulder.

"Alright. I'll see you in a couple of hours." He told his son and let them turn to leave.

"Hey Carl!" Jason called, getting the teen to turn back round to look at him. "I'm going to want that bag brought back in one piece, okay?"

Carl knew Jason was trying to be friendly. Trying to be fun. His smile proved it. Carl wasn't in the mood for any of it so he simply nodded and continued to walk with Michonne.

Jason turned to Rick once they were out of hearing range.

"Something's bothering him." He commented to the bearded man.

"Yeah, I know." Rick rasped, turning back towards the door. "Just give him some space for now."

Jason wasn't so sure it was the best thing to do. He knew how much pain Carl had to carry but he wasn't about to tell Rick how to be a father. Not if he wanted to keep his head on his shoulders. The two males closed the door behind them and barricaded it with the couch once again.

"I'm sorry for not telling you about my boyfriend sooner." Jason apologised, standing in front of Rick. "I should have got over the pain and been honest and clear."

Rick studied him for a moment, looking into his eyes. "It's alright. We all have things we don't like talking about. Things that we've had to do."

Jason nodded in agreement. Both men had been forced to do horrendous and violent things just to stay alive. Most of these things would never be shared between them. It wouldn't be necessary.

"But Rick, don't go snooping in my bag again. You have no idea what kind of creatures live in there." Jason joked to lighten the mood. "I'd hate for you to end up losing your hand."

Rick smiled at this but also took in the polite request for future privacy. He would respect it. Jason was no longer considered a potential threat. They would still have a long way to go before he would be fully trusted but Rick was happy to have him stay.

"I'm going to head upstairs, read a book. Maybe sleep a while." Rick told him. "Wake me if I'm asleep when they get back."

Jason nodded. "Sure thing. I'll be out on the roof or something."

Rick nodded and headed up the stairs after grabbing a book from one of the shelves. Jason followed him up the stairs but instead of lying on one of the beds with a book, he climbed out one of the windows and lay on the roof to relax under the warmth of the sun.

* * *

><p>Carl closed the door to the house he and Michonne had just finished raiding for supplies. Their bags were now half full. He didn't feel comfortable having Jason's bag on his back but he had worked out that it was probably to prevent his father's prying eyes from getting to it again. He walked silently alongside Michonne, his gaze set ahead of him almost as if she wasn't even next to him. Michonne didn't feel at ease with such an uncomfortable silence from Carl and decided to try to get him talking.<p>

"Find anything good?" She asked. "Candy bars? Comic books? Crazy cheese?"

Carl had ignored her up until crazy cheese. He had never heard of that before so he turned and gave her a confused look. The black samurai whipped out a tall can with a yellow aerosol top.

"Bam! Crazy cheese!" Michonne exclaimed with a grin. "Found it still sealed and everything. Now I'll be nice and let you have the first pull."

Carl lifted his hand though it was weighed down by one of the supply bags.

"No thanks."

Michonne slowed her walk, surprised at his negative response.

"You sure?" She asked, hoping he'd change his mind.

Carl nodded before looking ahead again. "I'm fine."

He started to march ahead as Michonne continued to slow down. She wasn't prepared to put up with the negative attitude much longer. He wasn't talking and wasn't saying why so she let her patience dissolve and called him out on it.

"You don't seem fine." She declared, causing the boy to stop in his tracks.

Carl felt irritated by her statement. Of course he wasn't actually fine. How could he be? All his friends were probably dead, or if they were alive they were probably too far away by now. They had lost their home and were now scavenging for supplies on a daily basis with no clear idea of what to do. It wasn't a life. It was nothing compared to what the prison had been. Every time they felt like they could catch their breath something always happened to ruin it. People would die and they would be back on the road again. Jason's actions had proven to Carl that the deep pain he felt was never going to go away. It was only going to get worse as more people around him died. Who would be next, his dad, Michonne or Jason? People had died in the past because he was too young or too weak to do anything to stop it. He hated it. He was sick of being the weakest link. He turned back to Michonne.

"I'm just tired." He lied. Just like he had lied to his father earlier that morning.

Michonne relented her attempts to get him to talk and simply nodded. She increased her pace to catch up to him as the teen had marched off at a quicker pace than before.

As she caught up she reared her head back and sprayed some of the crazy cheese in her mouth, making raspy noises like a walker as she did so. Carl turned to watch her, she rasped at him with a mouthful of crazy cheese, the yellow strings covering her chin as well. Carl didn't seem to react and turned his gaze ahead of them yet again. Michonne stood, feeling slightly rejected and swallowed the crazy cheese that was in her mouth before wiping the rest from her lips.

As they ascended the stairs to another house's door she decided to apologise for bothering the boy so much. The aggressive approach hadn't worked nor had the comical approach.

"I'm sorry. I'm not very good at making boys your age laugh." She apologised as she looked through the dirty glass of the door, banging it to attract any walkers that might be inside.

Carl realised he was being a bit too cold. "I was laughing. Inside."

Michonne continued banging on the door. "Toddlers find me funny, two, three year olds."

Carl's face scrunched up in confusion. "What do you mean _toddlers_?"

Michonne turned to face him, her face was calm as she reflected and opened up. If Carl wouldn't open up then she would instead.

"I had a three year old son." She smiled. "He happened to find me extremely funny."

She stepped forward and opened the door with her hand clutching the handle of her sword should it be needed. She stepped into the front room as Carl followed behind her, closing the door and dropping a couple of the bags to the floor. He pulled out Rick's revolver as Michonne placed her own bags on the couch.

"We need food, batteries and water in that order." She told him, opening one of the cupboards and searching inside it.

Carl felt hurt at never having been told such important information about her past. He challenged her.

"Why didn't you ever tell me you had a kid? What was his name?" Carl asked as Michonne continued to search, pain rising through her chest. "Did you have any others? Were you married?"

Michonne turned to him before walking past him to get some space, raising pointing finger at him.

"I'll answer one question at a time, one room at a time and only after we've cleared it." She told him.

Carl nodded as she disappeared into the next room. Another game to find out the truth. This was starting to become a habitual thing for him between Jason and Michonne.

* * *

><p>Jason opened his eyes. He had been dozing on the roof but now he heard voices in the street outside. Male voices. He peered round the side of the building and saw a large group of men walking up to the front porch. He scrambled to get back inside just as he heard the front door rammed open, the couch screeching across the floor. Jason galloped into Rick's room to wake the bearded man who was lying on the bed with an open copy of "Selected Short Stories" by Jack London on his chest. He quickly shook Rick awake. Rick gave him a confused look that faded into a serious one as a result of the tense expression on Jason's face.<p>

Jason didn't need to say a word. He heard the male voices downstairs. Loud. Boisterous. Aggressive. Two were arguing. There was a thud. Then a scream of pain. They laughed. He heard them loudly ascending the stairs. Jason darted into the wardrobe while Rick grabbed his book, his water bottle and the watch before sliding under the bed.

One man was searching the rooms. Old, dirty jeans and dirty boots were all Rick could make out along with the assault rifle they carried in their hand. The man stepped into the room and stood at the foot of the bed. Rick practically held his breath, praying he wouldn't be discovered. Jason did the same. Jason's life depended on this man not needing new clothes. The man kicked a jacket that lay on the floor and opened the cupboard by the door. He slammed the cupboard shut and walked over to the wardrobe. Jason cursed inside his head and took a knife out of one of the pockets in his cargos. He held it at eye level and waited for the door to open. The man glanced back at the bed and instead of opening the wardrobe door he wandered back over to the bed. Rick was dripping with nervous sweat, his hands shaking as he watched the man's steps. The man's boots were covered in dry blood stains. The stranger then lay himself on the bed, the bottom of the bed rapidly lowering and hitting Rick on the back of the head. Rick silently cursed and prayed the man hadn't noticed the resistance. Jason watched as the man closed his eyes and prepared to sleep as the others talked loudly downstairs.

* * *

><p>Michonne observed one of the many paintings that hung on the walls of the house. They had all been painted by the previous owners of the house and were very artistic and beautiful. The painter could have been professional. Carl came up behind her, pocketing the last of the useful supplies.<p>

"What was your son's name?" He asked, resting his arm on the top of a wooden chair.

Michonne smiled. "I said after."

"Well, these are actually two separate rooms and we already cleared that one." Carl answered, gesturing to the front room.

Michonne smiled and turned round. "Andre. His name was Andre Anthony."

Michonne headed for the hallway and pointed to one of the sets of drawers that hadn't been checked. "Make sure there isn't a box of cookies hiding in there."

Carl walked over to the drawer. "Did you have any other kids?"

Michonne was now in the hallway, looking at the other paintings. "Rules of the game, my friend!"

Carl searched the drawer and found some candy. He pocketed them and entered the hallway behind Michonne.

"So, did you?" He asked.

Michonne smiled again. "You know you could be a spy or a _cop_."

Carl folded his arms and leaned against a small table that sat in the hallway. Michonne turned back to him, averting her gaze from the paintings.

"No. One was enough for me." She told him, smiling. "And Andre was a handful, like you."

This earned a small chuckle from Carl. "Does this hallway count as a room?"

Michonne turned her attention to another painting. "If you can find something we can use."

Carl turned and wandered down the hallway. He found a painting that was wrapped in a plastic sheet leaning against a door. He picked it up and brought it to Michonne.

"This is the only thing I could find." He said to her, looking at the large object. "Does it count?"

Michonne took the painting from him, holding onto it so it didn't fall flat on the floor. "So?"

Carl folded his arms and thought for a moment. This next question would probably hurt the most for his friend but he needed to know.

"How long has it been?" He finally asked.

Michonne's face contorted with heartbreak as she thought about it. How long had it been? She never kept track of days. She wasn't like Jason.

"It happened after…after everything happened." She admitted, being unable to say a time.

Carl nodded in thought. "Does my dad know?"

Michonne stared at the wall in reflection. "I never told him. I never told anyone. Until just now."

Carl thought for a moment. That was a big revelation. He was the first person she had ever opened up to since the world ended. He was the one person she trusted above everyone else. He smiled.

"Your secret is safe with me." Carl declared with confidence.

Michonne considered his words for a moment. "It's not really a secret."

Carl continued to smile. "It's still safe with me."

This earned him a smile back from Michonne.

Carl considered something. He debated in his mind whether or not he should ask Michonne a question that had been nagging away at him all day. He let out a sight. It wouldn't hurt to ask, especially after how open Michonne had been with him.

"How…how do you know if you…you know…_like_ someone?" He asked, hesitant. What would she think of him? She was perceptive so she would either figure out his reasons for asking right away or get the totally wrong idea.

Michonne couldn't help but smile. The question had come out of nowhere but it also made sense for Carl to ask. She assumed he had probably never had any relationships because of the apocalypse. If he was asking this now then that meant he liked someone but the options were extremely limited. She and Rick couldn't possibly be options, she prayed it wasn't the case as that would be strange. That left Jason but he was a few years older than Carl and Carl didn't appear to be gay. Not that it mattered in this world.

"Well, you enjoy their company. You find them attractive, catch yourself admiring their face or their body." Michonne explained, not feeling the need to be subtle. "You can be protective of them. You want to spend time with them, to be close to them, touch them, kiss them and _other things_."

Carl looked down, his hat obscuring his face from view as he thought about it. That did sound about right and would explain the things he saw in movies his mother used to watch. It also explained the actions and connection that Glenn and Maggie appeared to share. So that's what liking someone was. He figured love would be an escalation of those feelings but he had to be sure.

"Is love just a stronger version of that?" He asked carefully.

Michonne looked serious as she answered. "Love is not a name given to something. Love is an action. It is something you act on."

Carl nodded. That was a very profound idea. If you loved someone you had to act on it, you had to prove it with actions and not just words. The breakdown of his parents' relationship began to make more and more sense now that he thought about love in that way.

"Did you meet someone when I wasn't watching?" Michonne asked him with a teasing grin.

Carl's face heated up, his cheeks flushing red at her statement. He hoped they were obscured by his hat so she couldn't see the answer to her question covering his face.

"No…I was just wondering." He answered. He needed to add something convincing. "Glenn once teased me, said he could tell I liked Beth."

Michonne narrowed her eyes but continued to smile.

"And did you?" She asked. It hurt that past tense was used not because his feelings probably faded but that Beth was probably dead.

Carl shook his head. "No. She was like a big sister but I didn't _like_ her."

Michonne accepted the answer for the time being and allowed Carl to search one of the adjacent rooms, his father's revolver raised at all times should a walker be lurking inside. She picked up the painting and pulled off the plastic to discover that the last painting was that of death. Of a walker. Suspicion shot through her and she stared at the door that Carl had retrieved the painting from.

Michonne put the painting down and headed slowly down the hall towards the door that the painting came from. She clutched the handle of her sword and opened the door. On the other side there was a sink with children's toothbrushes and a couple stuffed animals alongside toothpaste and soap. The mirror was fogged up with condensation of some kind. Michonne opened the next door to reveal a children's playroom which spiders had since taken over, evidenced by the number of webs that covered objects in the room.

The room was for toddlers, no older than her own son had been by the looks of things. It pulled at her heartstrings. These innocent children so full of life were gone. Probably dead. Born into a world that would become a brutal battle for survival. She really missed Andre but at the same time felt glad that he didn't have to feel fear anymore. Michonne continued to the pink door at the end of the room and opened it. The room was a bedroom, decorated almost exclusively in pink. Michonne froze.

On the bed in the middle of the room were the corpses of a man and a woman, gunshots to their heads. On the bed on the right lay the corpses of two young girls, their teddy bears still in their arms. Michonne stood over them and couldn't stop the tears from dripping from her eyes, quickly wiping them away. She turned to discover a third, slightly older child's corpse sat on a chair. This whole family had died in the room together. As tragic as it was at least they were all together again in a much better place. At least she hoped so.

Michonne rushed for the door, unable to stand in that room any longer. It wasn't a room. It was a graveyard. She slammed the door behind her and put her weight against it as Carl came in to find her. He saw the painful look on her face.

"Everything okay?" He asked her, concerned.

"Yeah it's fine." Michonne answered a little too quickly. She wouldn't move from the door.

Carl took a step forward and studied the pink paint of the door. "There's a baby in there."

Michonne put on her best poker face as she corrected him. "A dog."

Carl nodded and looked down at the floor, his hat obscuring his face from view again. He took a few moments to gather his thoughts. Michonne had opened up to him like never before and he had failed to tell her what had been bothering him this whole time. That had to change.

"My dad let me name her." He said, thinking about his baby sister, Judith. "Maybe…maybe her and Andre are…together somewhere."

He didn't let the tears reach his eyes even though he knew they weren't far away. He studied Michonne's face as she let out a sad smile and nodded. It was a beautiful thing to suggest and it offered some strange form of comfort. Her boy wouldn't be alone wherever he was now.

Michonne thought for a moment. This beautiful and open moment between them was the perfect time to rule in or rule out her suspicion over Carl's earlier question.

"You said this was safe with you." Michonne said, referring to the revelation of her son. "So I want to ask you something that can be safe with me."

Carl thought for a moment before nodding. He owed her that much.

"Do you like Jason?" She asked. It was a blunt question and it was the only candidate she could think of.

Carl's face flushed red at the question as he looked down at the floor yet again. Michonne couldn't read him because his hat was in the way, something that was beginning to annoy her. She didn't like it when she couldn't read someone.

Carl had to really think about that. It wasn't a question he had expected her to ask, probably because it was the very question he had been asking himself all day. Did he like Jason in that way? Was he bi or gay like Jason had explained the night before? He had no real way of knowing. He _did_ enjoy Jason's company. He _did_ care about Jason. Was he attracted to him? Carl wasn't sure. Even if he was, Jason probably thought too much about his dead boyfriend to consider a relationship with a "kid" like Carl.

"I…I don't know yet." Carl answered, finally having the courage to look Michonne right in the eye.

Michonne smiled. His uncertainty was more of a positive response than a negative one. It also meant that Carl now knew he could confide in her if his feelings did progress. She hoped he would do that as he deserved to experience something positive, something beautiful in this dark, violent world for a change.

She walked forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him towards the door.

"Come on." She told him. "Your dad is going to start wondering where we are."

* * *

><p>Rick had waited until the man on the bed had fallen asleep as had Jason. Just as they were about to make a move another member of the group climbed the stairs and entered the room. His footsteps were enough to tell that he was heavier than the other man.<p>

"Yo!" The new man called, banging the doorframe and waking the man on the bed. "Comfy?"

"You wakin' me up to see if I'm comfortable?" The man on the bed snarled.

"I want to lie down." The man at the door declared.

"Then use another bed you son of a bitch." The man on the bed growled.

"Them's kids beds. I want this one." The man at the door approached the bed.

"It's _claimed_." The man on the bed growled.

"I didn't hear it." The other man retorted. "So you're gonna have to lay claim somewhere else."

The man on the bed stood up and swung a punch at the other man. The other man blocked the punch and started a heated scuffle as they each tried to wrestle the other to the ground. Rick began to panic beneath the bed as he could easily be discovered at this rate. He didn't fancy his chances even with Jason in the wardrobe just a few feet away.

One of the men landed flat on his back on the floor in front of the bed with the man above attempted to bash his head against the floor. He struggled to fight back, trying to push the man's hands and arms away so he could get back up but he was fighting a losing battle. The man above punched him, jolting his head to the side. His eyes met with Rick's. He tried to call out but the man above wrapped an arm around his neck and began to strangle him. They continued to stare at each other as the man struggled to break free.

"Stop!" He gasped out in an effort to get the other man's attention but to no avail.

"Hell naw!" The other man exclaimed and tightened his choke hold even more.

Before the man on the floor could attempt to voice his discovery again he passed out from lack of oxygen. The victor released him and lay on the bed.

"My bed now, jack-off!" He declared his victory and let his eyes close.

Rick was now in a difficult position. One man above him who he couldn't check on and one man in front of him whom he prayed wouldn't regain consciousness for a while. He would have to rely on Jason to confirm when the man on the bed was asleep.

After fifteen minutes or so Jason slowly and carefully opened the wardrobe door. He studied the man's expression on the bed and it was clear he was fast asleep, his assault rifle lying next to him. Rick took the signal and slowly crawled his way out from under the bed.

"Hey! Get your asses down here!" One of the men called out as he walked up the stairs, bouncing a ball on the floor as he went, the ball making a loud bang with each bounce. Rick and Jason scrambled out of the room and headed for the bedroom with the Xbox in it.

"Yo! You hear me?" The man called out again.

Rick and Jason slithered into the Xbox room and hid on either side of the large shelves that sat at the back of the room. They held their breath as the bouncing of the ball got closer and closer.

The ball suddenly bounced on the window beside them and back into the man's hand. He stood in between the shelves. One more step forward and he would discover Rick and Jason. Rick clenched his fist and prepared himself to fight while Jason held his knife at the ready. The ball bounced against the window again, the banging of the bounce almost deafening to their ears.

The man continued to bounce his ball on the floor and wandered off into one of the other rooms to wake the man sleeping on the bed. Taking the opportunity, Jason and Rick tried to open the windows of the room they were in but they were all locked shut.

Suddenly the men erupted into communication. It was unclear who was saying what and where they were in the house.

"Claim, claim, claim!"

"Shut the hell up! I'm trying to sleep!"

"There's a woman shacking up in here!"

"Say what?!"

"Come on down!"

"Is she hot?!"

"Don't grab your pecker just yet. She ain't here!"

"What the hell are you hollering about?!"

As the men passed by the room Rick made a move over to the shelf and grabbed a trophy. It was better than nothing.

"Found her shirt. Must have washed it this morning! Smells good!"

"Oh! You found a shirt?! She could be miles away by now!"

All the men except the unconscious one in the bedroom had descended the stairs.

"Why'd she go to all the trouble of washing a shirt when she's just gonna ditch it? She'll be back!"

"I call first when she gets here!"

"Who knows who else she got with her?!"

"We need to be ready for anything!"

"Len, take the side room!"

Rick spotted the assault rifle that had been left on the bed and tried to go and grab it.

"Hold on, let me get a gun!"

The man named Len, who had been sleeping on the bed, thundered back up the stairs. This forced Jason to retreat into another bedroom and for Rick to retreat towards the bathroom.

"I'll watch the front den, you've got the other side room!"

"Where the hell is Tony? Tony!"

"Get him the hell up!"

Rick closed the door to the bathroom and turned his head to the side. A claimer was in the room. Rick hit the man in the chest with the trophy, knocking him back and attempted to tackle him. He was still injured and didn't have all his strength yet, allowing the man to push him over to the sink. Rick grabbed the man's machine gun from the sink and got behind him, wrapping the strap around his neck in an attempt to strangle him. The man choked and forced Rick back against the wall but Rick refused to let go, using all his willpower to summon the strength to tighten the hold around the man's neck. They stumbled forward as the man reached for the large pair of scissors sitting next to the sink but Rick pulled him back, knocking everything off the counter as they slammed against the door. The man forced them forward and reached for the scissors yet again, his fingers mere centimetres from grabbing them. Rick dropped them back to the floor, forcing the strap to dig into the man's neck even more than before with the man's own weight being his downfall. The man quickly stop struggling as he suffocated and died. Rick panted with effort and grabbed the machine gun, aiming at the door in case any of them barged in but fortunately none did allowing him to relax.

Once he got his breath back, Rick quietly opened the bathroom window and also left the door ajar. The man would turn and hopefully provide a distraction. He took the man's machine gun and bomber jacket before stepping out the window and onto the roof. He put the strap of the machine gun round his body and wore the bomber jacket on top. As he did that, he heard the first snarls from inside the bathroom that signalled the man's reanimation.

Rick peered over the ledge of the roof. No sign of walkers. No sign of the men. His heart sank, no sign of Jason either. He forced himself to forget about Jason for the time being. He hadn't heard any commotion so he probably had already sneaked out. He lowered his body over the side, gripping the ledge before letting himself fall down onto the porch. He rushed down the stairs and kept his body flush with the wall. No sign of his detection.

He carefully sneaked his way round to the front porch. Carl and Michonne would be coming back soon. He had to warn them. The front door opened and the familiar sound of a ball bouncing filled the air. The older man with the ball, who appeared to be the leader, sat on the ledge of the porch with a can of fruit and stopped bouncing his ball. If Rick was going to escape he would need to get past him. Weighing his options he decided that if his walker distraction failed then he would have to shoot and run. He could afford to wait.

Rick looked further up the street and his face went pale. Carl and Michonne were almost back. He had to act. No more waiting. He took a breath and made his move but suddenly stopped as a walker could be heard snarling and shots were fired. The men started shouting at each other as even more shots echoed around the house. Someone was shooting at them. Rick let out a shaky breath. Jason must have been spotted. He had to make a decision. Save Jason or save his son. Going after Jason could result in them all dying, these men had better weapons and there were more of them. Saving his son just required him to run.

Rick sprung up from his hiding place and ran out onto the street towards Carl and Michonne, gesturing and mouthing for them to go in the opposite direction, to run. The three of them took off, leaving the gunshots behind them as they kept running and running. They didn't think, didn't ask any questions, they just ran.

* * *

><p>It had been half an hour since they had ran away from the house. They were back to a walking pace and decided to stop next to the railway tracks to catch their breath.<p>

"What happened?" Michonne asked, her face serious and looking for any injuries on Rick.

"Group of guys. Violent. Well-armed." Rick answered with narrow eyes. They had been lucky to escape.

"Where's Jason?" Carl asked, standing up to stare into his father's eyes. If Jason was dead he needed to hear it.

Rick hesitated. Guilt surged through him. Not just for what he had done but for the pain he had inevitably chose to put his son through so he could live.

"Carl…" Rick started, looking at the ground.

"Where is he?" Carl repeated, louder and more aggressive.

Rick looked up and met his son's glare. "I don't know. We got separated. Those gunshots were probably his."

"You mean you left him?" Carl snarled. "You left him to take them all on by himself?"

Rick tried to calm his son by saying his name, trying to get a word in but couldn't.

"We should go back! We should go back and try to help him! Get revenge!" Carl shouted at his father angrily. "_He_ wouldn't have abandoned _us_! _He_ would have come back for _us_! But _you_ left him! _You left him_!"

"Carl, I had to do what kept you safe. That's what matters." Rick tried to tell his angry son. "We could have all been killed otherwise."

"So you sacrificed him?!" Carl growled and walked away from them.

He stormed several feet away and dropped to the ground, crossing his legs and taking Jason's bag off his back. Dale, _Lori_, T-Dog, Andrea, Merle, Hershel, Maggie, Beth, Glenn, Bob, Sasha, Tyreese, Daryl, Carol, _Judith_ and now Jason. All these people he had lost. All these people he could have saved. If only he had been faster, stronger, older, smarter, just better. If only he had done things differently. People kept dying around him and he seemed unable to do anything about it. Carl hugged Jason's bag and let some tears find their way out.

"I'm sorry." He said to the bag, as if it was a way for Jason to hear him. At least he was with his boyfriend now, along with Judith and Andre. They were in a better place.

Rick and Michonne approached the teen but he didn't acknowledge them. He couldn't believe his father had sacrificed his new friend, their new friend. He had ran away like a coward and had left Jason to die.

"We should count our supplies and make a plan." Rick suggested though only Michonne paid him any attention.

Rick touched the teen on the shoulder. "Carl, we can't stay here."

Carl moved his shoulder, shrugging his father off.

There was a rustling in the bushes next to them. The sound of stumbling and laboured breathing. A walker. Rick reached for his revolver but realised Carl still had it. Michonne clutched her sword at the ready.

"Carl, if it's more than one we need the gun." Rick tried to get his son to listen. "Carl!"

Carl glared at his father before standing up and grabbing the revolver from the back of his belt. He aimed it towards the bushes with two hands, the gun heavy in his hands since he was used to his Beretta. The stumbling and breathing got louder until the figure burst out of the bushes onto the train track. Carl dropped the gun to the ground. He couldn't believe it. Standing in front of them with a cut on his cheek but otherwise unharmed and more importantly, alive, was Jason.

Michonne lowered her sword and Rick smiled with relief. Carl collapsed to his knees from the shock of it. He couldn't make sense of it. Jason was alive. He had taken on a group of armed men and somehow came out alive. Jason walked up to the boy and lowered himself down on one knee. Carl peered up at him from under his hat and openly accepted the hug Jason gave him. He could see the shock in the teen's face and figured a hug was the best remedy.

He soon released Carl and stood back up before nodding to Rick, who was studying him with narrow eyes.

"What happened?" Rick asked him. He was just as surprised as Carl.

"Saw Carl and Michonne approaching. I couldn't see you." Jason explained. "So I opened fire and gave them a tour of the neighbourhood. The commotion attracted a group of walkers so I used them to escape."

"What happened to your face?" Michonne asked, gesturing to the cut on his cheek that was still bleeding.

"Had to jump through a window to avoid their gunfire." He explained. "Landed on some glass, that's all."

He turned back to Carl who had calmed down.

"Where's my bag? Is it safe?" Jason asked the boy as if the bag itself was a living person.

Carl smiled and picked the bag up off the railway track and handed it back to Jason. Jason hugged it like Carl had earlier before putting it on his shoulders.

"Thank you." He smiled to Carl.

Once the celebrations had died down and the dull reality of their situation settled back in, Jason decided to ask the all-important question.

"So what's the plan?"

Rick thought for a moment, the three of them looking to him for answers.

"We follow the tracks for a while. Try find another house to spend the night in." Rick explained. "We have another supplies to last a couple days."

That seemed to satisfy them as they all started walking along the tracks. Carl stuck by Jason's side which also happened to be the opposite side from his father. Even though Jason was alive and well it was still hard for Carl to accept that his father had actually abandoned the young man. He understood it was to keep him safe but it didn't feel right. He didn't agree with the decision. He let out a sigh. It didn't matter now. They were all still together.

As they walked, Carl reached into his bag and pulled out the can of Crazy Cheese. He offered it to Michonne.

"Crazy Cheese?" He smiled.

Michonne grinned back and shook her head, declining the offer.

As Carl stuffed the can back into his bag something caught Rick's attention. Pinned to the side of an abandoned train cart was a large sign. They all walked over for a closer look as a map was pinned just below the sign. They all read it. Rick and Michonne shared glances.

"What do you think?" Michonne asked him.

"Let's go." Rick stated, taking the bandage off his hand and tossing it to the ground. "Let's go."

Jason stood next to the sign and read it one last time.

TERMINUS. SANCTUARY FOR ALL. COMMUNITY FOR ALL. THOSE WHO ARRIVE SURVIVE.

"Hey Rick?" Jason called out, causing the trio to stop walking. Rick stared back at him.

"What's the verdict?" Jason asked, his arms splayed out and hands open by his sides. "Do you trust me now? Am I allowed to come with you?"

Carl looked up at his father's face. He didn't think this was still an issue but it obviously was. They were out of the house. They were on the road. Rick had almost fully recovered. Jason wasn't needed anymore. His heart rate increased. He wanted Jason to stay with them and was mentally preparing an argument should his father say no.

Rick smiled at the young man and nodded.

"You're one of us."

Carl grinned with delight. Those four words had just about redeemed his father for what happened at the house. Jason was also grinning and dashed to close the gap between them so they could all walk in a line. Michonne patted him on the back with a smile as they started the long trek towards Terminus. They didn't know what to expect there but Jason honestly didn't care. He had finally been accepted.

* * *

><p><strong>Well there we go, chapter 5 is complete! This is by far the longest chapter so far and hopefully the best one so far. I kept it in line with the episode Claimed while trying to keep it as close to the episode as possible. <strong>

**I had a lot of fun writing this one and now some of the best chapters are on the way. The trek to Terminus and Terminus itself. **

**Thanks to my chapter 4 reviewers: rk0192 and wolfbane18. **

**Also a thanks to everyone who has followed/subscribers/favourited/bookmarked or given kudos. **

**Let me know what you liked or didn't like and why. I always want to tell the best story I can in the best way that I can. You as the reader can help me do that. Don't be afraid to leave a review, despite my namesake I don't usually bite. :P **


	6. Long Road Ahead

**LONG ROAD AHEAD**

_It had been two days since he first woke up in the remains of the hospital. The doctor, Bill, had managed to show him around what was left of the building that they occupied. When they could they would bring people in to treat them in an attempt to increase their own numbers. Usually it was only people who were alone as whole groups could be dangerous. When he had been questioned on any alternative motivation for saving people, Bill had explained that as a doctor he had sworn to help people. It may have been the apocalypse but he still had a vow to keep. Jason had accepted that. Some people could never truly move on from the life they had before and accept the harsh reality of the apocalyptic world. Then again, it was probably for the best because if this man hadn't had that attitude then Jason would be dead. Bled to death in the backseat floor of a car. Not a very heroic death. _

_Bill had also explained that they had come to King County from the city after Atlanta simply became too dangerous to stay in. He had never specified whether or not walkers or people were to blame for that danger but Jason had assumed a mix of both. They had found the hospital abandoned though the damage to the walls, the corpses in the halls and outside, along with a cafeteria full of walkers was enough to give them an idea of what kind of atrocities had taken place. They had raided the nearby military camp for weapons and some supplies, like the electricity generators they used for the medical equipment. _

_They kept themselves quiet but well-guarded. They had lookouts on the roof to spot walkers or approaching groups of people. Everyone had a job to do to try and keep the place safe and to keep people alive. It was a system and a good one. People could leave if they wanted to, they weren't obligated to pay anything back. Bill had repeated his oath and had also felt it was not his place to control or judge anyone. Though he had noticed the scars on Jason's arms he had never asked about them. It wasn't necessary for him to know. _

_Jason had taken into consideration the possibility of staying with them. They had food, shelter and medical supplies. They also needed able-bodied people who could go out on runs and also defend the hospital from people and walkers alike. He could find a place there. He could find purpose. The first purpose he had had in two months. His pain was still very fresh from having to put down his boyfriend. Jason remembered the promises he made. If he died defending these good people and the good work they were doing then it would be a worthy death. It wouldn't be a cop-out or a sign of having given up. He would die doing the right thing. As morbid as he knew he sounded it was a choice that no one truly had anymore. How they would die. Death was around every corner, death was creeping up on everyone in every moment of every day. Jason wanted to be prepared for the day he faced death himself _

_One thing Jason couldn't appreciate enough from the people there was their attitude to privacy. He had been spotted marking his tallies and crying on occasion but no one had ever asked him why. Though it is possible none of them cared, he knew that Bill did but out of respect decided not to pry. When Jason asked why he never asked personal questions he had justified it as an unwillingness to pour salt into old wounds. He had accepted that explanation given that is exactly what it would be for him. _

_Jason sat on the roof of the hospital with a pair of binoculars, looking out at the ruins of the estate around them. The wind blew against his back, giving him a chill on the back of his neck that forced him to turn up the collar of his leather jacket. It was a quiet day with very few walkers to be seen. One of the newest arrivals to the place was also on the roof with him, holding a Remington 700 BDL sniper rifle. Jason didn't like the man much, he was obnoxious, loud and loved to kill walkers a bit too much. He treated it like a game. _

_Jason jumped as the man fired a shot, smashing him out of his thoughts as a walker in the street dropped dead. Jason took out his binoculars as another walker rounded the corner of the street. The sniper took another shot and put it down. Another two walkers stumbled round the corner. _

"_Stop shooting!" Jason shouted. He didn't like the idea of four walkers together. _

"_Shut the fuck up, kid!" The man bellowed, firing at the two walkers. "I'm having fun here!"_

_Jason growled at the man and looked through the binoculars yet again. This time a large group of five or six walkers rounded the corner. Then another six, then another ten and then even more. Jason's eyes widened and his hands shook. It was a herd. A big one. Even the sniper had stopped firing. Jason thought the man had finally taken the hint but had instead only stopped so he could reload. The herd was so large that the binoculars were no longer necessary. A sea of dead began to stumble towards the hospital. Jason rushed to the sniper._

"_If you keep firing you're going to get us all killed!" He warned._

_The man snorted at him. "Killed? This is target practice! I've got the ammo! I've got the skill!"_

"_One thing you don't have is brains." Jason retorted and tried to grab the rifle._

_This was a big mistake as the man was older and larger than he was. He whipped the rifle out of his reach and brought the handle swinging back, striking Jason in the face, knocking him back and splitting his lower lip open. The man chortled as if enjoying the situation and started firing more and more shots at the herd. Though he was a good shot and he never missed, there were simply too many walkers for him to possibly gun down before they reached the building. _

_Jason dashed for the stairwell and practically floated down it towards the man halls and wards. He had already started yelling for everybody to get out of the building. He hoped he could get the message out and get the place evacuated before the herd descended upon them and killed everyone there. Jason hadn't counted but there had to be at least a hundred walkers in the herd if not more. _

_Bill approached him, reloading an M16 assault rifle. _

"_Bill, we need to leave now!" Jason ordered as he grabbed his bag. _

_Bill shook his head. "I'm not leaving these patients to die here like this."_

"_We can't stay! The herd will tear the building down!" Jason bellowed._

"_I told you that I'm not leaving." Bill bellowed back, his usual calm demeanour gone. "Now either stand like a man or run like a coward."_

"_If you stay here then you'll die and you won't get to save anyone else!" Jason continued to plead with the older man. "We need you alive."_

"_Those people in those wards need me. I'm not abandoning them!" Bill roared back. "If you don't try to save one life then you'll never save any!"_

_With that Bill rushed for the entrance to the hospital and aimed his weapon. By that point the herd were only a few feet away from the door. Several other members of the hospital group opened fire on the approaching sea of corpses, all of them with the same determination to protect their home and friends. Jason cursed and grabbed a gun from one of the boxes in the hallway. He ran to one of the ground floor windows and aimed the barrel of a Heckler & Koch PSG1 sniper rifle out the window. He started firing at the approaching wave of undead, the scope of the rifle making headshots very easy. At the same time Jason felt that the whole effort was pointless. They couldn't kill the whole herd before it reached the doors. _

_Bill backed away from the doors to reload his M16 as the walkers finally reached the doors. A couple people who had been too caught up in shooting were overwhelmed and devoured by the advancing horde. Jason rushed from the windows as more walkers started to smash them and crawl in. The walkers dropped into the rooms from the windows and forced themselves through the doors, spilling into the hallways like a deadly liquid. The narrow nature of the hallways meant that only so many walkers could come through at a time which made it easier to shoot them but more of them just kept coming. _

_Jason had discarded the empty rifle and had grabbed a police issue Remington 870 shotgun, firing it at the heads of the approaching corpses. Sweat rolled down his face as he continued firing with the other members of the hospital, his ears rang painfully from all the gunfire. Although it looked like he was standing to fight and protect the place, his mind was already trying to figure out a way to escape. All these guns and gunfire and they hadn't even made a dent in the advancing herd. The smell was overpowering, assaulting the senses and making their eyes water as the loud chorus of undead groans and snarls filled the air. Jason couldn't bring himself to remain in the hallway much longer. As he reloaded the shotgun, he noticed that Bill was still firing at the walkers, carefully shooting each one in the head with his M16. _

_A loud crash got Jason's attention as several more walkers had broken down various doors after entering through the ground floor windows. They were quickly filling in the entire building. Bill seemed unfazed as he continued to fire at the approaching monsters. Jason started backing up and only took shots at walkers that he felt were getting too close. Gunfire. Screams. Undead groans. The smell. It was just like that night. The night he lost his reason to live. The hospital was lost. There were too many walkers, too few people and not enough ammo. As Bill continued to shoot at the undead army Jason cursed himself and ran in the opposite direction. He owed Bill his life but Bill's stubborn refusal to accept defeat was going to get everyone killed. Jason didn't want to die. He wasn't ready. _

_He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, jumping over dead bodies and side stepping out of the way of the outstretched arms of hungry walkers. Any walkers that were directly in his path received a shotgun shell to the face. The shotgun was heavy in his arms as he ran but he knew he didn't have many shells left. Jason was conservative with his shots as he ran through the hospital, he could still hear the sniper on the roof taking shots. He found a back door and shoulder barged it, expecting to slam it open but instead it refused to move and sent him crashing to the floor. He got up as fast as he could, the sounds of the undead only a few feet away from him as gunshots continued to echo through the building. Jason pulled the door open, realising the mistake he made and quickly dashed outside, slamming the door behind him to prevent any walkers from following him. _

_Slamming the door was a mistake as the herd had found its way around that side of the building, the door slamming alerting the corpses to Jason's presence. He took another two shots at the walkers, downing the two closest to him before the shotgun ran empty. As more walkers closed in on him, Jason used the handle of the gun to smack the walkers in the face and knock them to the ground. He kept swinging the shotgun, smacking every walker that got too close. Sweat dripped into his eyes, obscuring his vision, his legs shook from the adrenaline rushing through his veins and his arm muscles burned from the weight of the gun. _

_As he broke free from the group of walkers that had surrounded him he realised that the only gunshots now sounding were those of the sniper. Jason spotted an abandoned bicycle and lifted it up onto its wheels. He discarded the shotgun and got on the bike before peddling as fast as he could away from the overrun hospital._

* * *

><p>The air was starting to cool as autumn set in. The trees were beginning to turn brown as they shed their leaves which would fall onto the disused train tracks that Rick, Michonne, Carl and Jason now walked along. Rick took the lead, walking at the front of the group with his hands in the pockets of his bomber jacket and the machinegun he took from the house strapped round him, hanging by his side. Jason walked next to him, the width of the track separating them as he too kept his gloved hands inside the pockets of his leather jacket. A gentle breeze blew his hair into his eyes, forcing him to shake his head as he refused to remove his hands from his pockets. He didn't speak as he was far too consumed in his thoughts. For the first time in months, it felt good to feel like he belonged somewhere. Jason had been on his own for far too long and though he suspected he would always feel empty and alone without his loved ones from before, he had no intention of abandoning the group he now found himself in.<p>

A few feet behind Rick and Jason, Carl and Michonne walked side by side. There was plenty of talking and some laughs as they were currently playing eye spy. Though there was never a lot to play it with as their scenery didn't often change it was still something to pass the time with.

"Eye spy with my little eye something beginning with T." Michonne challenged the teen.

Carl looked around for a moment before quickly working it out. "Tracks! The train tracks."

Michonne grinned and nodded. It was Carl's turn.

"Eye spy something beginning with R." Carl announced, grinning. He hoped it would be tricky.

Michonne looked around and thought for a moment. "Rick?"

Carl shook his head and let out a giggle. "Try again."

Michonne narrowed her eyes and looked around more carefully. That's when she saw it. The Colt Python holstered on Rick's leg.

"Revolver!" Michonne answered, staring at Carl for confirmation.

Carl grinned and nodded.

Michonne hummed in thought as she looked around for a new object to keep Carl guessing with. Once her eyes settled on something, she turned back to Carl as they walked.

"Eye spy something beginning with H." Michonne announced with a smile.

Carl looked around but couldn't find anything that started with that letter. He knew Michonne wouldn't trick him so he looked ahead of them into the distance and saw a street. Obscured by the leaves and branches of a large tree was the roof of a building, most likely a house.

"House!" Carl declared with a proud smile.

Upon the declaration of a house Jason decided to walk a little faster. He too had spotted the house and was considering whether it was worth diving in to check for supplies. He turned to Rick.

"What do you think?" He asked. "Should we give it a try?"

Rick looked over at the house, his eyes narrow from the low position of the sun that made it blast light into his face. He shrugged and started walking towards the house.

"It's not like we're in a rush." Rick commented as he passed Jason, leading them all towards the building.

* * *

><p>As the four of them walked up the deserted street three mutilated corpses came into view. Beside the half-eaten remains were bags and weapons. There was still a strong smell and plenty of fresh blood on the ground indicating that these survivors had died recently. They examined the bodies for a cause of death but couldn't find one. Either the walkers had eaten the evidence or the walkers themselves were the cause of death.<p>

Holding their breath to defend their senses from the stench of death, Rick and Jason raided the pockets and bags of the bodies. They picked up the guns but found them to be empty so they left them with the bodies. The supplies found on the bodies weren't numerous but they were something. Some chocolate, a can of fruit, a couple knives, rope and some tape. They stuffed the supplies into their bags before walking past the remains towards the house.

The front porch of the house was painted with dried blood. Michonne readied her sword while Rick, Carl and Jason held their guns at the ready as Rick broke down the door and stormed inside. As they had expected, a group of four walkers were in the front rooms and began shuffling over to them. Rick flipped his gun round in his hand and used the handle to cave in the forehead of the closest walker. Michonne swung her sword with deadly accuracy and sliced the head of another walker in two. Jason had holstered his gun and took out his knife which he used to stab a walker in the forehead before Rick grabbed the final walker and slammed its head into the wall. They took a quick break to get their breath back and wiped the blood off their weapons.

There was a snarl and a loud repetitive crash as a walker came tumbling down the staircase, its bones snapping and breaking with each loud thud from its rotting body. It landed on the floor, reaching up at them with broken arms and wrists as it growled before Michonne stabbed it in the temple with her sword.

Rick and Michonne immediately started looking in cupboards and drawers for supplies. Carl leaned against the wall with his arms folded, his gun already holstered. Jason could tell something was bothering the boy so he decided to approach him before looking for supplies.

"Hey." He greeted as he walked up to Carl.

Carl continued to stare at the floor as he answered. "Hey."

"What's bothering you?" Jason asked, lifting Carl's hat to look him in the eye.

Carl glared before lowering his hat again, knocking his heel against the wall that he was leaning on.

"Nothing." Carl answered. "It's stupid."

Jason let out a light laugh. "You think I care if it's stupid or not?"

Carl looked up at him and thought for a moment. He sighed and decided to be honest.

"I just feel weak. All of you can kill walkers without a gun." Carl explained. "But I need a gun."

Jason cocked his head to the side like a dog would and smiled.

"Is that all?" He asked. "That's easily fixed."

Carl looked confused. How could his lack of physical size and strength be easily fixed?

Jason glanced outside onto the street and saw two walkers stumbling towards the house they were currently in. He smirked. They would be perfect. He turned to Carl and handed him a knife.

"Come with me." He told him.

Carl was a little confused but he trusted Jason enough to follow him outside to the street where the walkers could see them. Their snarls were loud and hungry. Jason waved his hands and got their attention. He kicked one of the walkers onto its back and led the other one further out onto the street.

"Okay, Carl." Jason called. "Watch this. Kick their knees to knock them down first."

Jason did as he had just explained to Carl. He advanced on the walker and stepped to the side of it before kicking its knee as hard as he could. The brittle bone of the decomposing walker's leg snapped and the corpse fell to the ground. Jason took his knife and quickly stabbed it in the head. He looked over to Carl to see if the young teen had seen it all. Carl nodded.

Jason put his knife away and took out his gun. He aimed it at the other walker which had finally stood up again.

"Okay Carl." He called. "Your turn."

Jason kept his aim firmly on the walker just in case something went wrong. Carl clutched the knife tightly and moved towards the shambling corpse. Just as Jason had shown him a moment before, he stepped to the side and kicked the walker's knee. The walker collapsed to the floor allowing him to stab it in the back of the head with ease. He pulled the knife out of the skull and looked up at Jason with a smile.

Jason gave him a small applause after he holstered his gun again. He grinned. Carl learned fast.

"Very good. Now you can take them out easily without a gun." Jason told the teen. "It's also useful if you need to get away from them without actually killing them."

At this point, Rick and Michonne came out and saw the two dead walkers along with Jason and Carl talking.

"What happened?" Rick asked them.

"Just showing Carl an easier way to deal with walkers." Jason answered honestly, deciding it best not to lie to Rick under any circumstance.

Rick nodded. The lesson has obviously been a success as both walkers now lay on the street with holes in their skulls. He stared at his son.

"Be careful. It's easy to forget how dangerous they are sometimes." Rick told him.

Carl nodded to his father but couldn't help but share a cheeky smirk with Jason. Although it was a fairly simple thing in the world they lived in, it had made Carl feel better and had also cheered him up a bit. It was appreciated.

"Find anything useful?" Jason asked Rick.

"Not much but it's better than nothing." Rick answered with a nod.

Upon seeing Michonne's sword, Carl's memory jogged itself back into action.

"You still gonna teach me how to use that?" Carl asked her, gesturing to the sword.

Michonne smiled and nodded. Carl smiled back excitedly. Rick remained serious however. Though he understood it was important for Carl to be able to defend himself he still felt it was a failure on his part as a parent for it to be necessary at all. Without speaking he led them back down the street to the tracks so they could continue the walk to Terminus.

* * *

><p>A couple hours later and the sun had just about set for the day. The group had set up camp in some dense woodland just off from the railway line. They had used some string and rope to build a large rectangle around them between the trees with empty cans hanging on it. This would act as an alarm should any walkers find them during the night. They had just finished eating but kept the fire lit to give them light and some warmth. Before lighting the fire they had dug a small hole for it to sit in so it could burn bigger and brighter but still be hard to see. Jason lay on his back, using his bag as a pillow as he stared up at the night sky through the branches, observing the stars. The nights were getting colder. Rick wore his bomber jacket, Michonne wore a dark yellow jacket and Jason wore his signature leather aviator jacket. Carl shivered. He was the only one without something warmer to wrap up in.<p>

Jason noticed Carl shiver out of the corner of his eye. Michonne was sharpening her sword and Rick was cleaning out the group's guns. He sat up and unzipped his leather jacket, pulling it off before handing it to Carl. Carl looked back slightly confused.

"Won't you get cold without it?" Carl asked but took the jacket as Jason continued to force it into his hands.

"I'll be fine." He answered. "We'll find something for you in the morning."

"Thanks." Carl nodded and put the jacket on. It was too big for him but it was better that way as it covered more of his body and kept him warm.

Jason lay back like before and continued to look at the stars. He felt the cool air chill his skin through his black shirt but he did his best to ignore it. One thing he didn't mind about a world without electricity lighting everything up was being able to see the stars without any kind of light pollution. He smiled.

"You seem happy for someone who has to sleep outside with walkers." Michonne pointed out, tapping his foot with the sheath of her sword.

Jason's smile grew. He continued to look up at the stars as he answered.

"Walkers are a minor issue." He commented. "But I've always loved nature and looking at the stars."

"Are you trying to say you prefer it?" Michonne asked him, half expecting him to say yes.

"No but I'll enjoy the opportunity." Jason answered. "I always would. Even before."

"What did you do before all this?" Rick asked him, having finished cleaning the guns.

Jason sat up and crossed his legs. "I was a university student."

"What were you studying?" Michonne asked him before Rick could, though they both had the same question.

"Biology. I wanted to save endangered animal." Jason answered and let out a half-hearted chuckle. "Now human beings are going extinct. I guess the animals will be fine now."

"There will be others." Rick argued. "We're not as close to extinction as you think."

"We'll see." Jason answered cynically. "What about you, Rick? What were you?"

"Sheriff Deputy" Rick answered.

Jason let out a laugh. "And I have a criminal record."

"For what?" Rick asked. The tone was light but he had to make sure it was nothing serious.

"Assault." Jason replied honestly. "I got into fights now and again."

"Why?" Carl asked. He didn't see Jason as a particularly violent or antagonistic person.

"When people would bully my friends and words didn't seem to work." Jason answered with a sigh, remembering each fight. "I'd try to educate them with my fists."

"Did it work?" Carl asked.

"Usually." Jason replied with a chuckle. "Not that your dad would have approved at the time."

Jason lay back again, looking up at the stars. "What about you Michonne?"

"It doesn't matter what I was." She answered, still protective of her past.

"Exactly, so you won't be judged." Jason retorted. "Tell us."

Michonne sighed. "I was a lawyer."

Jason laughed again. "Great, I'm with a policeman and a lawyer. I better not lie!"

Carl couldn't help but laugh with him, quickly followed by Michonne and even Rick to a lesser extent. Though their laughter could attract walkers or people, moments of joy and happiness were essential. Life couldn't always be about survival and death. Their laughter quickly faded and was replaced by silence as they tried to get what little sleep they could.

* * *

><p><em>Sirens blared loudly as emergency vehicles sped past the house. People were in a panic, some trying to evacuate, others gathering supplies and attempting to barricade and fortify their houses. The news reports were hard to believe, like something out of a horror movie. Jason couldn't quite fathom what he was seeing and hearing. The news was reporting that the dead were returning to life and attacking the living. The dead were returning to life and attacking the living. It just didn't sound real. Not even the imaginative minds of horror stories had ever came up with something like that. Monsters, werewolves, vampires and other creatures, sure but living dead? That was new. Jason pondered it in his head. What would that make them? Undead? <em>

_He glanced out the window and that's when he saw one of them. One of these undead. They were a lot more obvious to spot than he would have expected. Torn clothes, grey skin and a shambolic walk. People were running from it as it tried to grab whoever came too close. One man decided to take it on. He was either brave or stupid. He shot it in the chest three times with his Smith & Wesson Model 629 Classic revolver and was shocked to see the magnum bullets had no effect on the advancing creature. The man aimed his gun again to try and shoot three more times but the monster had closed the gap between them and grabbed his arm before knocking him to the floor. Once on the ground it viciously sank its teeth into his jugular causing blood to spray everywhere as the man shrieked in pain and fear. _

_Sirens grew louder and drew closer before a police car pulled up in the street. An older officer got out of the vehicle and pulled out a Beretta 92FS which he used to shoot the cannibalistic monster in the head. That one shot had clearly killed the creature. Jason took note. These things could be killed with a headshot. Body shots did nothing. The police officer also shot the dead man in the head before rushing towards Jason's house. Jason had recognised the officer as his father and rushed to unlock the door, letting the man in quickly before slamming it behind him. _

"_Dad? What's going on?" Jason asked his father who looked visibly shaken. _

"_It's worse than they're telling you on the television." His father answered. "If you have to fight one of those things attack the head and only the head. Do you understand?"_

_Jason nodded quickly. "Yeah, I saw you shoot that one outside."_

"_Don't get bitten." His father continued. "Bites kill you and make you one of them."_

_Jason looked utterly gobsmacked. "What?"_

_His father narrowed his eyes. "Dead people are walking and attacking us and their bite being infectious is difficult for you?"_

_Jason shook his head and averted his gaze for a moment to regain some of his composure._

"_Okay, okay, I've got it." He answered. "Don't get bitten."_

"_Where's your mother and Kellin? Still upstairs?" His father asked quickly. _

_Jason nodded. "Yeah, they're safe."_

_His father shook his head. "No, they're not. We need to make this place secure."_

"_This news says we should go to Atlanta." Jason told his father, his hand gesturing at the television._

"_Thousands of people going there will just be chaos." His father told him. "We're safer at home and away from people."_

"_What if you're wrong?" Jason questioned his father's judgement. _

"_Then one of my friends over in King County will let me know." His father answered. _

"_A friend?" Jason questioned, unsure of who is father was talking about._

"_Deputy Shane Walsh is heading to Atlanta." His father told him. "You remember him, don't you? Your old gun instructor."_

_Jason did indeed remember Shane. Despite not being a member of the force, Shane had taught Jason how to use a gun because his father was a fellow officer. Whenever criminals passed between their counties they would often work together and had a good relationship as a result. _

"_At least it's someone we can trust." Jason answered, nodding. _

"_I'll keep watch for a bit." His father told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Feel free to go upstairs."_

_Jason nodded and hugged his father who returned the hug. They knew that the world was falling apart outside but they were still a family. They were all still together and they had faith in each other. _

_When they separated Jason made his way upstairs. When he opened the door he found his mother and boyfriend watching the news together. His mother got up and embraced him, holding him close._

"_Is your father alright? I heard shots." She asked, worry etched on her face. _

_Jason nodded. "He's fine. He's taking watch downstairs."_

"_Oh thank God." She let out a breath of relief and released her son. _

_Jason held his boyfriend close. They had been together for two years and now it seemed like their perfect little world was coming apart around them. The dead were attacking the living and law and order had all but disappeared. He tightened the embrace. The world was falling apart but they weren't. They were together. They always would be. Their feelings hadn't changed and never would._

* * *

><p>A cold shiver of cool air roused Jason from his slumber. His hands searched for his jacket but then he remembered he had given it to Carl the night before. His neck ached from the position he had slept in but apart from the ache and the cold he was fine. He was alive. Jason sat up and took his notebook out of his bag to mark a new tally according to his morning ritual.<p>

That's when he heard it. Hushed talking and the sounds of leaves crackling under foot. Jason turned to find Rick still asleep but there was no sign of Carl or Michonne. He continued to look around his surroundings until his eyes settled on the two of them. They stood in a small clearing with Michonne standing behind Carl. Carl had her sword in his hands and Michonne had his forearms in her hands. Jason smiled as he watched them. Michonne was teaching Carl how to use the sword. Jason made no noise and chose just to sit and watch. It was a peaceful morning and Rick deserved to sleep a little longer.

Michonne guided Carl's hands and taught him how to move his arms so he could cut through things with the sword. What Carl hadn't realised at first was how much skill, strength and stamina it took to use the sword effectively. You had to be in very good physical condition to keep it up for long. Michonne was noting, just as Jason had the day before, that Carl was a fast learner. He was getting the hang of the movements even if they did make his arms burn after a while. One thing that was obvious, even from where Jason sat in relation to where Carl and Michonne stood, was how much Carl enjoyed the opportunity to learn this skill. Jason made a vow to himself. He would find a sword for Carl.

The groan of a walker signalled its approach towards their camp. It was enough to wake Rick who jumped up and grabbed a knife and his revolver. The walker appeared to be one of the older members of the undead army as its nose had fallen away along with its ears. It stumbled slowly towards Carl and Michonne. Michonne took her sword from Carl and prepared to take it out but was stopped by a call from Jason.

"Wait!" Jason called. "Let Carl use it for practice."

Michonne eyed the young man for a moment. It was a dangerous thing to try, especially with a katana but she quickly made up her mind and handed the sword to Carl. Carl clutched the handle and held the sword above his head, bending his arms as Michonne had taught him. When the walker closed the gap between them, he swung at its head, straightening his arms with one swift movement and brought the sword to the walker's neck. The blade cut straight through and decapitated the walker, causing the body to collapse to the ground and the head to fall beside it and roll on the ground. The walker's head continued to bite at Carl even though it could no longer move. Still clutching the sword with two hands, he inverted the sword and brought the blade down into the walker's skull, stabbing its brain and killing it. Carl placed his boot on the walker's face for purchase so he could successfully remove the sword.

Clapping sounded from behind him. He turned round to see not only Jason clapping but also Rick. Michonne was also smiling with pride. In just under two hours she had taught the teen how to cut up a zombie with her sword. It was a useful skill for him to have and all he needed was more practice and a sword of his own.

"You've got a great teacher." Jason told Carl with a smile.

Carl grinned and looked at Michonne before turning back to Jason.

"Yeah. The best!" He agreed.

Michonne took her sword back, cleaning the blade of walker blood before sheathing it on her back again.

"He's a good student." She commented with a smile, patting Carl on the back.

"We'll try to find him a sword." Jason commented. "Perhaps look in a museum or something."

"Swords aren't easy to come by." Rick mentioned, looking over at Jason. "It's best if he sticks to his gun and knives."

Jason smiled as did Carl. "We've got that covered already."

Carl walked over to Jason and Rick, unzipping the leather jacket before handing it back to Jason. Jason accepted it and put it back on.

"So, find Carl something warmer to wear and then onward to Terminus, right?" Jason asked just so the plan for the day was confirmed.

"That's right." Rick answered. "Don't want to be out here exposed any longer than we need to be."

"Then we might as well pack up and go now." Jason suggested, grabbing his bag and beginning to undo the string that had served as their alarm.

They still had a long road ahead of them.

* * *

><p>As they continued along the tracks they found another housing estate. They reached the front porch of the first house they had chosen to search. Rick was prepared to go in but Jason offered for him and Carl to go in instead. It wouldn't take long and it meant Michonne and Rick could keep watch. Rick had declined the suggestion but had accepted the idea that he and Michonne would search the kitchen for food while Jason and Carl searched upstairs for something for Carl to wear.<p>

Jason and Carl ascended the stairs with their guns raised in case any walkers burst out of an open door or were lurking in the hallway. As this wasn't the case they holstered their guns for the time being and kept their knives at the ready. Jason led Carl past some closed doors towards what looked like the door to a teenager's bedroom. A bullet hole was framed in the middle of the door. Jason peered through the hole to see two walkers. One was about Carl's height and the other about Rick's height. An older and younger brother, he assumed.

"We take them out together?" Carl whispered.

Jason shook his head. "I'm not going to do anything. You kill them."

Carl gave him an incredulous look. "Are you serious?"

"You need the practice, right?" Jason justified his stance. "I'll make sure nothing goes wrong, I promise."

Carl thought for a moment, swallowing nervously before nodding. Jason opened the door as the smaller walker came stumbling out towards Carl. Once it had walked out onto the hallway he slammed the door behind it to block the larger one which had started banging on the door, groaning with hunger.

The smaller walker snarled as it approached Carl. Using what Jason had taught him, he kicked the walker's knee forcing it to collapse onto its front. Just like before, Carl stabbed it in the head. He looked up at Jason and nodded. Jason opened the door again.

The larger walker charged out hungrily towards the teen. Jason stood behind it with his knife at the ready. Carl kicked the walker's kneecap but it only dropped onto that knee and didn't collapse like Carl had expected.

Jason realising the situation barked out advice. "Kick its chest!"

Carl did as he was told, the walker trying to grab and bite his leg but was too slow to even get close. The force of the kick knocked the walker onto its back allowing Carl to jump forward and stab it in the head. Carl removed the knife from the head and sheathed it like before. His hands were shaking.

"You okay?" Jason asked him, sheathing his own knife.

"Yeah, it's just adrenaline." Carl answered with a smile.

Jason smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's see if they have anything your size."

After searching the wardrobe Carl managed to find a dark blue jumper that also had a small hood on it. Jason held Carl's hat as he put the jumper on and smiled when it fit snugly on him. Jason handed back his hat with a smile.

"That should keep you a fair bit warmer." He commented.

Carl nodded with a smile before following Jason down the stairs to meet up with Rick and Michonne. They had dispatched a couple walkers of their own and had gathered a couple cans of food but nothing much else. It was better than nothing as they were still a couple days walk away from Terminus.

They headed back out onto the street and froze as soon as they did so. Coming down the street towards them, well aware of their presence, was a herd of walkers. It was hard to count but there had to be about three hundred walkers marching towards them. The stench was eye wateringly awful. Rick quickly ordered them all back inside and instantly started barricading the doors and windows of the ground floor. They all quickly worked to block up any potential entrances into the house.

Within a couple minutes the herd was upon them and were banging on the doors, walls and windows. It didn't take long until the army of corpses had smashed the windows and were pushing at the barricades behind them. Rick continued to look for an opening in the herd but the house was surrounded. The stench was overpowering as was the never ending chorus of hungry groans and snarls. Some of the walkers were starting to crawl through the windows but were met with the sharp end of Michonne's sword. The sound of glass smashing and wood creaking and groaning accompanied the chorus of groans and snarls. The house was not going to withstand much more of the walkers' assault.

The front door of the house began to splinter apart as the wood gave way and the hinges came loose. Rick rushed up to the shelf he had placed in front of it to act as a barricade and pushed with all his weight to prevent it from collapsing. He shouted in effort and pain, his side and leg burned from the strain of the activity. Jason felt a horrendous feeling of claustrophobia set in. It was just like back at the hospital but this time there was no escape and he wasn't going to abandon anyone this time.

"Rick!" He shouted, suddenly deciding to take charge. "We need to get on the roof!"

"We'll be trapped up there!" Rick retorted, still pushing against the shelf as it leaned further into the house under the weight of the walkers behind it.

"We're trapped in here as it is!" Jason shouted. "They won't make it onto the roof so come on!"

Jason pushed Carl up the stairs, beckoning Michonne to follow which she did and they were all quickly followed by Rick. As soon as Rick moved the shelf collapsed and the walkers started pouring into the house. They all ran through the house as fast as their legs could carry them. Jason opened one of the bedroom windows and quickly forced Carl through it, telling him to wait on the other side. He let Michonne climb through next and then Rick. The door of the bedroom creaked and splintered as the walkers slammed themselves against it. Just as it broke down and the walkers came charging through into the bedroom Jason climbed through the window.

Jason pointed to the higher part of the roof and showed them all how to climb up onto it. Michonne and Rick managed it with ease but Carl struggled. Jason grabbed Carl's hand and helped to pull him up onto the roof. They all sat on the roof and took a moment to get their breath back. Below them the house was completely surrounded by a repugnant sea of hungry corpses. They were safe from the immediate threat but unless the herd was stimulated by something else they would be trapped up here forever. The other houses were too far away for them to even attempt jumping from one roof to the other.

They were in luck as just half an hour later gunshots sounded a couple blocks away. The herd was stimulated by the shots, assisted by the fact that Rick and the others had stayed quiet on the roof to avoid attracting attention. Slowly but surely a few walkers began stumbling towards the source of the gunshots which in turn encouraged other walkers to follow. Slowly but surely the whole herd was on the move. Unfortunately they shuffled along so slowly that the group would need to wait an hour or two before they herd was at a safe distance.

* * *

><p>An hour had passed and the majority of the walkers had moved away from the house. The herd was still too close for them to make much noise but they appeared to be out of harm's way for the time being. Jason looked around them for a clear route to Terminus that didn't cross paths with the herd again. The railway line appeared to veer in a different direction from the walker herd so there was hope that they wouldn't encounter the herd again.<p>

A drop of moisture interrupted his thoughts. He raised his hand to his nose and rubbed it off with a finger. Wet. He looked up at the clouded sky and felt more and more droplets of water. It had started raining.

"Great. Now things really couldn't get any worse." He commented with a sarcastic tone.

He dropped down off the top of the roof onto one of the lower sections. As parts of the building overhung it meant there was some shelter from the rain even on the roof of the house. They all made their way down to the sheltered part of the roof, all of them absorbed in their own thoughts.

Carl studied Jason as the young man continued to look out at the herd as it stumbled away from them. He couldn't imagine being out in this world all alone for months like Jason had. Carl doubted if he would have had it in himself to continue on alone for that long.

"Jason?" Carl asked, getting the young man's attention.

"Yeah?" Jason responded, turning to the boy.

"I've been meaning to ask." Carl started. "What did you do all this time? Before you met us?"

"Searching." Jason answered, looking down at his holstered gun. "I spent every single day looking."

"Looking for what?" Carl asked, confused and curious.

"A good death." Jason answered with a weak smile. "I wanted to be with him again. But he made me promise not to take my own life."

Carl listened. He knew Jason meant his dead boyfriend. Jason's eyes and the look on his face showed so much emotional agony. This was a death he was never going to move on from.

"I also wasn't allowed to let myself die by being stupid." Jason continued. "I had to find a death that had meaning, so I wouldn't feel ashamed when I saw him again."

"Are you still looking for a meaningful death?" Carl asked. He was hurt at the thought of losing their latest addition to the group and it pained him to believe Jason actually looked forward to it.

Jason stared at Carl for a few moments without speaking. He hadn't given it much thought but now that Carl had put him on the spot he wasn't sure. He had spent all this time earning Rick's trust and looking out for Carl that he had stopped his search in some way. Jason questioned himself. Was this just part of the search? Die for Carl, Rick or Michonne so that his death would have meaning? He couldn't stand to live without the love of his life by his side nor was he prepared to abandon this group.

Jason shrugged. "I…I don't actually know anymore."

Carl's eyes stayed locked with his own. They both had blue eyes. Both pairs of eyes held pain inside them.

Jason smiled softly and placed a hand on Carl's back. "But I don't plan on leaving this group. I promise."

* * *

><p><strong>So that's chapter 6 finally complete. Sorry for the delay but I was ill and my brain wasn't working. So if there's more mistakes than usual in the chapter then that will be why. I feel this was a weak chapter but I could just be harsh on myself. In any case, the next few chapters will be much better. <strong>

**Chapter 7 will be up much quicker because I can't wait to write Chapters 8 and 9. **

**Thank you for all the kudos/bookmarks/favourites/follows. **

**Also special thanks to the reviewers of chapter 5: rk0192, Madison188, Kokiriss, RainbowO, kingcarlgrimes, SaraP, RehCluf & Erebus_And_Nyx. **

**As usual, leave a review to let me know your thoughts, regardless of whether they are good or bad. Everything helps. Flames will be used to burn Terminus to the ground though, just saying. :P**


	7. Kellin

**KELLIN**

The air was cool but fortunately there was no breeze or wind of any kind, this helped to keep the temperature from falling too low. The train tracks just seemed to stretch out for miles and miles without any stops. The group was now several hours away from the herd that had trapped them in the house and with any luck were also several miles away from it too. Rick and Jason walked side by side in the centre of the tracks, the leaves and gravel crackling under their feet with each step.

"Do you think this Terminus place is even still there?" Jason asked him as they walked. "Those signs didn't look recent."

Rick shrugged slightly as they walked. "Probably is. They would need to have fences, walls, weapons and people."

Jason nodded to this but thought for a moment. "So did you. At the prison."

Rick narrowed his eyes and threw Jason a glare but kept walking.

"Yes we did and it worked until someone drove through in a tank." Rick answered, his tone of voice told Jason to watch his wording of things. These were still fresh wounds.

"Hopefully it's still there." Jason commented. "We need a break."

Rick nodded, staring ahead. "We'll get one."

Rick checked his bag and looked at the various supplies contained inside it. Their water was running low meaning they would need to find a river or lake or ration the water until they reached Terminus. It was a tough call with the river being the better idea. Carl and Michonne hadn't been heard speaking for a while so he decided to strike up conversation with them as well.

"I think we've got about a day's worth of water left." Rick told them as he walked. "We're lucky that it's cooled off a little bit but…"

Rick turned to look at them and was confused at the sight he was greeted with. Several feet away Carl and Michonne were carefully balancing on the rails of the track with their arms out and having to place one foot in front of the other. This was taking up all their concentration as they were struggling to keep their balance. No wonder they weren't talking or answering.

"What are you doing?" He asked, confused.

"Winning a bet." Carl answered with a smile.

"In your dreams!" Michonne challenged the teen.

Rick stood where he was and couldn't help but smile. Jason had his arms folded and was also smiling with amusement.

"I'm still on!" Carl declared, trying to reach out and knock Michonne off but only succeeding in destabilising his own balance for a moment.

Michonne laughed. "Spoke too soon, wise guy!"

Rick walked up to them as Carl regained his footing and balance.

"This might go on a while." He told them and then asked. "Think we can speed this up?"

"Yeah you're right. We shouldn't be fooling around." Michonne answered, breathing heavily from concentration. "We should probably _go_!"

She yelled out the last word and threw her arm out to startle Carl but ended up losing her balance completely and fell off the rail. She side stepped to keep from falling over and glared at Carl who was grinning with the pride of victory.

Carl stepped off the rail. "I win." He declared. "Pay up."

He outstretched his right hand as Michonne went into her bag and pulled out two chocolate bars. A Cruncho which she held out in her fingers and a Big Cat which she kept in her hand. It was easy to tell which one was her favourite out of the two.

"Is that really the last Big Cat?" Carl questioned.

He looked down at the two chocolate bars and thought for a moment. His favourite was also the Big Cat and Michonne had set out that the winner would get to choose before they started their competition. Carl took the Big Cat.

"Oh come on!" Michonne pleaded in disappointment.

"Hey but you said winner's choice." Carl countered with a cheeky grin.

Michonne narrowed her eyes as she placed the Cruncho back into the bag. "Fine, take it. It's yours. You won it. Fair and square." Her tone was laced with disappointment.

Carl opened the wrapper and broke the bar in half, offering one half to Michonne who narrowed her eyes at him, expecting him to tease her over it as he had done in the past.

"Come on, we always share." Carl told her, prompting her to take the half with a smile.

Rick and Jason were still smiling and laughing lightly from the entire display. To see a close friendship between two broken people was such a treat to see. This was especially important to Rick for Carl's sake as they didn't often get opportunities to smile and to laugh.

* * *

><p>It had been several hours of tiring and almost painful walking since the bet Carl and Michonne had came to a conclusion. The sun had just about set behind the horizon and the group had yet again set up a box of string around them with empty cans tied to it. In the centre of their makeshift camp they had another fire which had been placed in a hole. All four of them sat around it, trying to stay warm in the cold night air.<p>

Jason studied Rick for a moment. Something was bugging him about his name. Rick Grimes. He had heard the name before but he couldn't remember where. Jason furrowed his brow in thought. He had to remember why the name was significant. He cast his mind back a few nights before.

"_You're a good shot, Carl." Jason asked suddenly, remembering the boy's aim when shooting walkers. "Who taught you?"_

"_My dad's best friend, Shane." Carl answered._

_Jason didn't push for more information. He already could tell the man was dead and something must have happened as he had never been mentioned up until now._

Then another memory flashed through him. A conversation with his father when the walkers had just started to appear.

_"This news says we should go to Atlanta." Jason told his father, his hand gesturing at the television._

_"Thousands of people going there will just be chaos." His father told him. "We're safer at home and away from people."_

_"What if you're wrong?" Jason questioned his father's judgement._

_"Then one of my friends over in King County will let me know." His father answered._

_"A friend?" Jason questioned, unsure of who is father was talking about._

_"Deputy Shane Walsh is heading to Atlanta." His father told him. "You remember him, don't you? Your old gun instructor."_

_Jason did indeed remember Shane. Despite not being a member of the force, Shane had taught Jason how to use a gun because his father was a fellow officer. Whenever criminals passed between their counties they would often work together and had a good relationship as a result._

_"At least it's someone we can trust." Jason answered, nodding._

_Were they the same person? It was indeed possible and Jason could swear the name "Officer Grimes" rang a bell in his memory banks. He wasn't sure if it was wise to ask but for his father's sake he felt he had to know the truth one way or another. _

"Rick, I have a question." Jason announced, slightly hesitant.

"What's on your mind?" Rick asked him, staring at him from across the camp fire.

"Carl told me that your best friend taught him how to use a gun." Jason explained carefully. "Was that Officer Shane Walsh?"

Rick glared from across the fire. Shane. The man who had protected his family, had been obsessed with his wife, the man who had been Judith's father before she died, and the very same man who tried to kill Rick back at Hershel's farm. How Jason knew who him was a mystery.

"Yes it was." Rick answered. "You say that as if you knew him."

"I did." Jason answered. "He taught me how to shoot. My father was a cop."

Rick narrowed his eyes and nodded. It made sense as Shane had been a gun instructor and Rick could vaguely remember the mentioning of teaching a friend's son as a favour. Jason interrupted Rick from his thoughts.

"What happened to him?" Jason asked out of curiosity. He had no idea.

Rick struggled to answer. He wasn't sure how to explain Shane's death without shredding the respect and good memories Jason probably had of the man. It was Carl who spoke next.

"He lost it." Carl answered. "Tried to kill my dad."

Rick stared over at Carl who briefly stared back before turning his attention back to Jason.

"My dad did what he had to." Carl finished.

Rick accepted the explanation. No personal details were shared and it didn't destroy the memory of the good man Shane used to be before everything changed. Jason nodded and accepted the answer in silence.

"Jason?" Carl asked out of the blue. "What was his name?"

Jason was confused by the sudden question. What was whose name?

"Who?" He asked, shaking his head in confusion.

"Your boyfriend." Carl continued. "What was his name? You never told me."

"Does it matter?" Jason asked, feeling defensive. He didn't want to go through the pain again.

"Talking helps." Michonne interjected. "And we all know you miss him. We all miss people."

Jason wasn't sure how to answer. Was it really necessary to go into great detail over those they had lost?

"You know, I still wake up some mornings and expect to find Lori beside me." Rick told them. He could relate to the painful separation that Jason felt every day.

"Talking about it just makes it hurt even more than it already does." Jason answered, staring at the flames.

"Well can't we share your pain?" Carl offered, staring right into Jason's eyes when the young man looked up from the fire.

"You don't have to." Jason told the teen, not wanting to add to the pain they all carried already.

"But I choose to." Carl retorted, echoing what Jason had said to him before.

Jason sighed and sat back, leaning against a tree trunk. He closed his eyes for a moment and finally decided to lower his defences. He told himself it was to better integrate into the group but he knew the truth. It was because _Carl_ asked.

"Kellin." Jason finally told them. "His name was Kellin."

"How did you meet him?" Carl asked, having gone into his interrogation mode, so to speak. Jason and Michonne knew the questions would keep coming.

Jason sighed and decided to go into detail.

"I had just turned sixteen and was out clubbing with a friend." Jason explained before he started his story. "Kellin was just about to turn fifteen."

_The music was loud, echoing all around the dark room. Strobe lights of multiple colours illuminated the room as people danced in the centre of the room, some alone others together and others in groups. Off to the sides of the dance floor, people sat at tables enjoying drinks. Some were couples, others friends and a rare few were alone. The darkness of the club made it impossible to tell the time of day outside as it had no windows. _

_Jason was sitting round the side from the bar. Behind the bar and the DJ's box was a quieter sitting area that was illuminated by UV lights that in turn illuminated parts of clothing, jewellery and teeth. He sat alone with a drink of water. Despite the great variety of alcoholic drinks and soft drinks he refused to have any of them. _

_He glanced over towards the dance hall to watch a couple dancing. He had come to the club with a friend as part of a night out in the town for some fun. However, his friend had caught sight of an attractive young woman and appeared to have forgotten about Jason's existence as a consequence. He sighed in frustration, his shoulders falling with the release of air as he pushed one of his hair bangs out of his eye. _

"_Why not go up and dance instead of sitting here sulking?" A voice asked him from behind._

_He whipped around to look at the owner. The teenage boy looked a little younger than he was with stylish blonde hair that made him stand out in a crowd. Brown eyes gazing into Jason's blue ones._

"_I'm not much of a dancer." Jason replied with a smile. "Just been abandoned by a friend, that's all."_

"_Oh so you're alone." The blonde replied. "Perfect."_

"_And why is that perfect?" Jason asked, confused. "Loneliness is never good."_

"_Means I can sit here and no one will complain." The blonde boy answered, sitting next to him. "And now you're no longer alone."_

_The blonde giggled at their own declaration, though there was also a nervousness in the giggle that Jason picked up on. To ease the tension and to allow himself the opportunity to forget about his treacherous friend, he laughed along with the blonde. _

"_So don't you have a girlfriend you could be with?" The blonde asked out of curiosity._

_Jason shook his head and chuckled. "Nope, I'm a single pringle."_

"_A solo rolo." The blonde interjected with a laugh of their own._

_Both individuals laughed at the silly nature of their statements. Jason had successfully forgotten about his friend and found his attention being fixated on the blonde beauty beside him._

"_So what's your name?" The blonde asked him with a sweet smile._

"_Jason." He answered with a matching smile. "What's yours?"_

"_Kellin." The blonde answered, still smiling. _

"_I've never seen you here before." Jason commented. "I'm pretty sure I'd remember you."_

"_Tonight's my first time." Kellin answered with a shrug._

"_Enjoying it so far?" Jason asked. "More than me anyway?"_

_Kellin shook his head and giggled. "Nah, it's shit."_

_Jason furrowed his brow in thought. This couldn't be tolerated. Here he had met a fun new person, someone who noticed him and had just about saved him from the loneliness caused by his friend who could only think with one head at a time. Yet this fun new blonde haired boy was not having fun in their current location. _

"_The arcade is open still." Jason told him. "Why don't we go there and have a laugh?"_

_Kellin stood up before looking out at the dance floor. "What about your friend?"_

"_Who?" Jason asked with a cheeky smile and led them towards the exit._

Jason noticed just how much interest Rick, Michonne and especially Carl were taking in his story. He hadn't expected them to be genuine in their requests to know more about him and he had to admit it did feel better getting to share these memories. Jason decided to continue his story for them.

"So that's how it started. We were just friends at first." He explained. "Nothing serious really happened until we were at a lake I knew of."

He thought back to that day. The lake was secluded and few people really knew about it and even fewer ever went to it. It was the perfect place to escape to in the summer.

_Jason stared out at the water of the lake. The sun was bright in the sky and caused the surface of the water to sparkle. The ducks quacked to each other as they swam about without a care in the world. They didn't care that he was close by, they were used to people by now. Jason turned to the blonde beauty beside him, the individual who had saved him from a boring evening at the club after his friend had abandoned him. _

"_I come here whenever I want to think about things." Jason told him. _

"_What do you usually think about?" Kellin asked him, curious. _

"_Life mainly. Whether I'll ever be truly happy." Jason said, feeling guilty at being negative. "That's the biggest one. Happiness."_

_Jason turned back to look at the water. He felt warmth on his hand, the feeling of another hand. He couldn't remember when the blonde had moved but they were now sitting a lot closer to him on the grass than they had been before. _

"_Aren't you happy right now?" Kellin asked him, slightly nervous. "Spending time with a new friend?"_

_Jason sighed, he hadn't meant for it to sound like that. "Yeah, but there's still that slight feeling of loneliness. I can't explain it."_

_He felt the hand move off his own and end up caressing the back of his neck. He turned to the blonde and found himself staring into their deep brown eyes, their face inches from his. They were close enough that they could feel the heat of their breath on their faces. Jason's heart started pounding. He had suspected that they might have shared some kind of attraction. They did flirt on occasion. He had chosen not to say anything as he didn't want to be rejected like so many times before. _

_His train of thought was quickly derailed as he felt warm lips capture his own. His eyes were closed though he couldn't remember when he had closed them. He leaned into the kiss as Kellin rubbed his back before lifting a leg over him and gently pushing him onto his back so that he were on top of him. The surprise of the movement had caused Jason to let out a small gasp which the blonde took advantage of, gently sliding his tongue between his lips to tease his own. _

_They lay there on the grass like that for most of the afternoon. Kissing and holding each other close under the afternoon sun. Nothing else mattered in the world. They had each other. Jason felt his heart swell in these moments. This was the start of something new and exciting and beautiful in his life. He knew people would disagree with it. People would hate them. Family might disapprove. Jason didn't care about any of that. The empty feeling inside of him was gone. He wasn't lonely anymore. _

"I had been mostly wrong." Jason told them, taking a break from the details of his story. "My parents were just happy that I had found someone who made me feel complete."

Rick and Michonne knew how terrifying it was for teenagers to come out as being gay or bisexual in the world before. Carl fortunately had no knowledge of that and from what Jason could deduce, Rick wasn't homophobic either. If he had been, he wasn't anymore as the apocalypse changed a lot of those things and made them insignificant. It was about the living and the dead.

"When I was seventeen, I decided to do something special for Kellin's sixteenth birthday." Jason explained. "I took him out for the whole day, movies, arcade, and the lake, anywhere he wanted to go."

Jason smiled warmly at the memory of that day. He had expected to be embarrassed about mentioning what happened next, especially with Carl and Carl's father in front of him but it felt natural and acceptable to continue the explanation.

"My parents were out on a trip to see family, so we had the house to ourselves." Jason explained. "So that night we made love for the first time.

Jason did feel heat spread to his cheeks a little but his pride and the warmth of the memory overpowered it. He could tell Carl was quite confused as he probably didn't know how two males could do anything together. He figured he'd save the details for the day Carl had the courage to ask for them and preferably when Rick wasn't staring at him.

_The kettle let out a loud click to signal that it had finished boiling the water inside it. Steam rose out of the top slowly. Jason lifted it off the base and poured the boiling water into two separate black mugs before placing it back where it was. Retrieving the milk from the fridge, he also added a portion of that to each cup before returning the milk to its place on the shelf on the fridge door. He stirred both mugs of coffee thoroughly before rinsing the teaspoon and taking the mugs through to the bedroom. _

_Lying in the bed half asleep with the covers still over them was the same blonde beauty that had come into his life a couple months before. Jason smiled as he observed his sleeping form and remembered the night before fondly. It had been one of the best nights of his life and was hopefully one of many to come. He didn't want to disturb him but he figured they had both slept in long enough. _

"_Wakey, wakey, poppet." He called, rousing him from the addictive clutches of sleep. "Coffee's ready."_

"_5 more minutes!" Kellin grumbled from under the covers. _

"_Don't make me tickle you!" Jason warned the blonde, which made him sit up quickly._

"_If you do that again I'm not responsible for your injuries." Kellin threatened with a giggle._

_Jason laughed with him and handed him the mug of coffee. _

_The blonde's collarbones were exposed as the covers retreated as he reached for his mug. Jason sat on his side of the bed with his own mug and waited for his coffee to cool down enough to it wouldn't burn his tongue or mouth. _

"_Sleep well?" He asked Kellin, placing a kiss on their cheek._

_The action earned him a smile from Kellin who nodded. "Best I've slept in a long time."_

_Jason smiled back. "Same here."_

_Kellin took a sip of his coffee, taking care not to burn himself before looking out the window. Outside the birds were singing, the sun was shining and people were starting their day. The noise of car engines was a constant dull hum in the background of whatever they did. _

_Jason checked his mobile phone that had sat by his bedside all night. It was ten in the morning. He had a missed call from the night before which he remembered as being a call he chose to ignore as he and his bedfellow were otherwise occupied. He put the phone back down. He would call them back when he was free. _

_Jason drank some of his coffee, closing his eyes as the warm liquid made its way through him and the caffeine awakened his senses. He was still a little tired but it was a Sunday. It was a lazy day. He yawned at the thought of doing next to nothing all day and reflected on the last couple months. The kiss by the lake had been the start of a relationship and he hoped it was one that would last. It felt right. He felt like they were two halves that had come together, never to be separate ever again. The day before had been Kellin's birthday and had been filled with so much fun and lots of affection. That night he had taken Kellin's virginity as a final birthday gift which had turned out to be a night that would never be forgotten._

_He finished his coffee shortly after his boyfriend finished his and took Kellin's hand in his own. They stared at each other for a few beats. Jason was just admiring him. He did this often and Kellin was used to it. _

"_You're so gorgeous, even first thing in the morning." He told him, earning him a kiss. _

"_No, you are." Kellin countered with a smile. _

_Jason smiled at the compliment and laughed at their silly little argument. They did this all the time and there never was a clear victor. _

"_There's a reason I can't take my eyes off you, baby." Jason told him, rubbing his cheek with his hand. "You're going to have to accept that one day."_

"_Maybe." Kellin countered, kissing Jason and wrapping his arms around him. "But not today."_

_Jason giggled as the blonde pulled him closer and lay back, pulling him on top of them without breaking the kiss. _

"_If only life could be like this all the time." Kellin lamented in thought. _

_Jason left a small kiss on the end of his nose. "It can be. If we choose to make it that way."_

"_Do you think we can?" He asked him with uncertainty. _

"_I can't think of anything that could ruin this for us." Jason answered, kissing them again and initiating morning love._

Rick and Michonne stared at him with understanding smiles. They knew what it was like to share moments like that. Carl however could only look at him with fascination as he had never experienced anything close to that before. It was something he hoped he could experience one day.

Jason's tone changed and became darker and more serious. He explained to them that he and Kellin had managed to survive with a group of other survivors from the area for the best part of a year. It had been difficult but they had worked through it. Kellin truly struggled with the changed world. It wasn't where he belonged.

"His heart was too big for this world." Jason told them, his lip shaking with emotion. "He was a big kid, a big cute, sweet kid."

Jason closed his eyes and held his breath for a moment to regain his composure so he could continue his story. It was getting harder and harder to talk about it without breaking down but the three people in front of him were intensely focused on what he was telling them. Michonne placed a hand on his shoulder to give him reassurance.

"One day, we had all fought through a large crowd of walkers that had found the camp." Jason explained. "We were all tired and I was told to go on watch duty."

Jason's eyes turned red and they stung with the threat of tears. He scrunched them closed and held the tears back.

"I was so tired. I fell asleep." Jason confessed. "The walkers from the day had been part of a herd."

_Jason awoke to an awful stench filling the air. Looking down the hill from where they camped a sea of undead corpses stumbled towards them. They were close. Too close to evacuate the camp and not draw attention. He was about to call out but a gunshot suddenly sounded. Someone in the camp had found a walker and shot it without realising the danger. What Jason only realised when he looked round was that the herd was already upon them with walkers wandering through the camp. Fear shot through him, firing up his adrenaline. Only one thing mattered to him. Kellin. _

_He hopped down from the mobile home he had been perched on and grabbed a hatchet. The camp was infested with walkers. Members of the group were firing guns into the darkness at approaching walkers and even one of the tents had caught on fire, smoke filling the air. It was chaos. A walker came out of the smoke towards Jason and snarled as it reached out. Jason swung the hatchet and brought it down onto the monster's forehead, ending its life with a swift blow. _

_Jason pulled the hatchet out of the skull and moved quickly through the chaos. He walked quickly but didn't run because of the density of the smoke and of walkers and armed people. The walkers just seemed to be everywhere. Two more walkers came close to him, forcing him to quickly swing the hatchet and decapitate both of them, letting the heads fly off onto the ground where they became lost in the desperate scramble. Jason marched on but found the path blocked by another small cluster of walkers. He growled in frustration and in desperation and pulled out his father's Beretta. Holding the gun in one hand, Jason shot most of the walkers in the cluster in front of him before executing the last two with powerful strikes from the hatchet. Blood was splattered over his jacket and face but he didn't care. He needed to find Kellin._

_Out of the chaos one of the group members rushed towards him, they were shaking with fear and rage and pointed their gun at Jason. _

"_This was your fault!" They roared. "You were supposed to keep watch!"_

"_I have to find Kellin!" Jason bellowed back. "Move out my way!"_

_Before the man could retort a walker came up from behind and bit into his neck. Jason knew that the humane thing to do would be to shoot the man but he didn't have time. He rushed past the man as his agonising shrieks joined the chorus of sounds. Screaming. Shouting. Snarling. Gunshots. Burning. It was chaos. Pure chaos. _

_Another walked snarled at Jason before receiving the hatchet to its forehead like several before it. The hatchet became stuck in the walker's skull and two more were stumbling towards Jason as he tried to pull the blade out. He grabbed a screwdriver that lay on the ground, dropped in the panic, and stabbed it straight through the eye of one of the walkers. The other one was almost on top of him so he kicked its kneecap which brought the creature crashing to the ground. Jason pulled his hatchet out of the dead walker's skull and immediately brought it down into the back of the skull of the walker he had just tripped._

_Jason pulled the hatchet out of the skull and rushed towards the tent he and Kellin shared. It wasn't far and he was glad. More and more walkers were pouring into the camp and he was getting tired. The only thing that was keeping him going was raw adrenaline and even that wouldn't last forever. He ran towards the tent. Kellin wasn't in it. He wasn't there._

"_Kellin!" Jason shouted desperately. He had to find him. He had to. "Kellin!" _

_The sound of objects from a table falling to the ground behind him caught his attention. Jason spun round and came face to face with a walker. Panic shot through him. He couldn't react in time. A gunshot sounded and the walker's temple exploded as it fell to the floor in front of him. Jason turned to his left and saw a disgruntled Kellin walk out of the smoke. His face was filled with pure terror. _

_Behind Kellin two more walkers appeared but Jason was quick to use his father's Beretta to gun them down. He had no ammo left. He rushed over to Jason and embraced him briefly. _

"_We have to go!" Jason barked._

"_Go where?" Kellin asked him, confused and afraid. _

"_Anywhere but here!" Jason answered and grabbed his hand. _

_A walker was getting close to Kellin so Jason pulled him out of the way and spun them around. He aimed at the walker's head but realised he was out of ammo. The walker tried to grab him but Jason side stepped. The walker's cold hand slammed against his wrist and made him drop the gun. It didn't matter. Jason pushed Kellin and got them running out of the camp as fast as their legs could carry them. Behind them only the sounds of screaming, gunshots and the undead filled the air. The mixed smell of fire and death assaulted the senses. They had known the people who were fighting for their lives behind them for a year. Jason didn't care. His only priority was Kellin. He squeezed Kellin's hand as they ran away from the terror unfolding behind them. _

_What seemed like hours that had passed had probably only been minutes but it didn't matter to him. All Jason knew was that he couldn't hear the screams or the groans or the gunshots anymore. He saw a building in his peripheral vision and guided Kellin towards it. Pulling out his hatchet he ran up to the front door of what was previously a family's home and kicked the door open. The inside of the house was dark. The moonlight couldn't penetrate through the double layer of slate and tree branches above. He grabbed the dust-covered answering machine and tossed it into the room ahead of him, the noise of its landing deafening in the silence of the night. A single deathly moan came from the same room as one of the reanimated corpses revealed itself by stumbling towards the source of the noise. Jason moved forward swiftly and buried his hatchet in the back of the creature's skull. The monster dropped to the floor with a thud and silence returned. Jason guided Kellin into the front room where it was safer. There didn't seem to be any other walkers in the house. _

_Jason kept the hatchet tucked in his belt as he grabbed the feet of the walker and dragged it towards the door. He didn't want to sleep next to a rotting corpse. Not after the loss of the camp. The body was heavier than he expected it to be, causing him to groan in effort as he dragged it out of the house through the front door. He left it on the front porch, deciding it was better to move it in the morning light than in complete darkness. Jason walked back into the house and closed the door behind him. He wrapped his arms around a book case and groaned in effort as he moved it in front of the door as a makeshift barricade. He turned around and took in the sight before him. Kellin was sitting in the middle of the room, cradling his knees in his arms as tears streamed from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks._

_Jason knelt down in front of his boyfriend._

"_It's okay, we're safe for now." He told him in an effort to calm him down. _

_Kellin continued to cry however._

"_I'm sorry about the others but maybe some of them survived." He suggested._

"_It's not that." Came the choked reply. "I was bit."_

_There was an intense flash of lightning that illuminated the room before darkness reclaimed it. Moments later a loud crash of thunder sounded in the sky before the heavens opened and a torrent of rain came crashing down outside. The rain drops pelted the windows of the house and drummed against the rooftop loudly. The constant, rapid pounding of the rain was only interrupted by more loud echoes of thunder accompanied by the blinding flashes of lightning. _

_Jason stared into Kellin's eyes, the blood draining from his face as his head began to feel light and his legs weak. The words that had just been said to him repeated themselves inside his head, echoing in his mind as if it was a large empty cave. _

"_I was bit." _

_The statement repeated itself, leaving Jason frozen with shock and confusion. He hadn't seen it happen. It all happened so fast. He had got to them as fast as he could. It wasn't fast enough. They were supposed to survive together. Kellin was going to die. He promised to keep him safe. He had broken his promise. _

_Jason felt his body shake and had to grab the coffee table for support, fearing he would lose his balance and collapse from the sudden weakness shooting through his core. This couldn't be happening. He caught himself praying for it to be some twisted nightmare that he would wake up from at any moment. He had done everything in his power and the cruel reality was that it hadn't been enough. Not only had he broken his promise to the person closest to him but that broken promise meant these were their final moments together. _

_Jason collapsed to the floor, rolling on his back and grabbing his head in his hands as he cried out in agony. This agony was not physical but emotional. His heart was shattering to pieces in his chest as tears streamed out of his eyes, temporarily blinding him until he tilted his head and let them roll down his face. Rolling onto his side he punched the wooden floor repeatedly in frustration, anger and guilt. Blood stained the floor as the skin of his hand broke and split from the repeated trauma. _

_He opened his eyes, not remembering when he had closed them as someone's arms were lifting him off the floor and back into a sitting position. Kellin pulled him in close so that his head was against his chest. Jason wrapped his arms around him tightly as Kellin reciprocated the action. Another burst of lightning allowed him to see the bite in Kellin's side, just below his last rib. Jason cuddled in closer and sobbed into his chest, leaving damp patches on his shirt as Kellin's tears fell into his hair. _

"_I'm so, so, so sorry." Jason choked out between sobs. "Fuck I'm sorry, I fucked up. It should be me. Me. Not you."_

_Kellin held him tighter, pulling him closer and kissed the top of his head._

"_It's not your fault." Kellin reassured him. "If it was you I'd die. I would lose any reason to go on. Then we'd both be dead."_

"_But isn't that what is going to happen anyway?" Jason sobbed, staring up at him._

"_No, I don't want you to kill yourself." Came the reply as he winced in pain. _

"_So I'm supposed to be alone again?" Jason asked in painful confusion. _

"_I'll never leave you, baby." Another kiss was placed to his forehead. "But I can't lose anyone else to suicide, no matter what."_

_Jason lowered his head and cuddled in closer again. "So what then?"_

"_You have to keep going. For me." Kellin replied between their own sobs. "Because your time to die is not now. You're supposed to live."_

"_How do you know that?" Jason asked, not accepting the idea of being left alone._

"_I don't. But I believe it." Kellin answered. "Promise me you won't give up."_

_Jason cried harder, taking several moments before he could control his breathing enough to answer._

"_I promise."_

"_There's two more promises you need to make me." He could feel the fever starting, the infection attacking his body._

_Jason could sense the distress but forced himself to stay calm enough to talk._

"_What else?" He asked weakly._

"_When the time comes I want you to shoot me." The request shocked Jason. "I don't want to be walking around without a soul."_

"_But…but I don't have a gun." Jason admitted, regret striking him hard. He had lost it back at the camp. _

_Kellin produced a gun from the back of his belt, a Springfield Armory TRP Operator, the same one he had used earlier, and handed it to Jason as if it was a present._

"_Now you do." _

_Jason held the gun in his hands for a moment. That's when he noticed the blood stains on his sleeve from the bite wound in Kellin's side. He shut his eyes forcefully, scrunching up his face as more tears came bursting out. He holstered the gun, knowing that it would take all his strength and more to pull the trigger when the time came. _

"_What's…what's the last…last promise?" Jason choked out, his breathing coming out as gasps._

"_Stay with me until time runs out." _

_Jason's tears came out faster and harder as he nodded his head violently. He felt a pair of hands cupping his face. He blinked the tears out of his vision and looked into his companion's brown eyes. Kellin brought them together so they could share a kiss. It was soft, delicate and loving. When they broke apart they held each other close._

_Outside, the rain continued to crash down violently, bouncing off the ground, hammering the roof of the house and pelting the glass windows like small stones. The lighting flashed again, casting the shadow of the couple's embrace onto the wall before darkness covered it up. The thunder roared across the sky with ferocity._

"_I promise." Jason whispered, pulling them as close together as possible. _

"We stayed like that and talked for a couple hours." Jason continued to explain to them. He could see the pain in their eyes, his story touched their hearts. "Then he asked me to sing to him one last time. I would always do it when he was upset."

"What song did you sing to him?" Carl asked, his voice low. He found the story heart-breaking and now he understood why Jason was so damaged.

"A song called Run." Jason replied. "It just came into my head. It felt appropriate."

Carl hesitated for a moment before making a request. He didn't know why but he wanted to hear it, regardless of whether Jason could sing or not.

"Can…can we hear it?" The teen asked.

"I wouldn't want to hurt your ears." Jason replied with modesty.

"One of our friends, Beth, used to sing for us." Rick told him. "It was never about the performance."

Jason nodded. It was about the meaning. It was about the emotion of it, the connection between people. He took a breath and started to sing.

"I'll sing it one last time for you, then we really have to go. You've been the only thing that's right in all I've done."

Jason thought about Kellin. How much his life changed because of him and the better, stronger and more complete person Jason had become as a result of knowing him.

"And I can barely look at you but every single time I do. I know we'll make it anywhere away from here."

_Jason cuddled into Kellin and softly played with his hair, letting his singing and physical actions translate everything he felt like saying. _

"Light up, light up, as if you have a choice. Even if you cannot hear my voice I'll be right beside you dear."

Rick thought of Lori. He loved her and he had tried to put things back together. The mistake he had made was assuming there was going to be more time. In this brutal world there never was any time for anything or anyone. As Hershel had once put it, every moment was simply right now.

"Louder, louder and we'll run for our lives. I can hardly speak I understand why you can't raise your voice to say."

_Jason kissed Kellin's forehead. So many positive memories, so many beautiful moments. So many laughs and smiles. Now it was all about to end. These would be their last moments together. _

"To think I might not see those eyes makes it so hard not to cry. And as we say our long goodbyes I nearly do."

Jason stared into Carl's eyes. He could see the pain in the boy's eyes just as Carl could see the agony within his own.

"Light up, light up. As if you have a choice. Even if you cannot hear my voice I'll be right beside you dear."

Michonne cast her thoughts to her boyfriend Terry and her son Andre. She had always been willing to do whatever she could for them to keep them safe and to keep them happy. She had lost them both to this disaster and it was something she could never have prevented. That was the reality of it. No one was safe.

"Louder, louder and we'll run for our lives. I can hardly speak I understand why you can't raise your voice to say."

_Jason and Kellin shared another kiss and held each other close. There were so many things he wanted to say. So many moments he wished they could relive even if it was just for a moment. Anything that would delay what was inevitably about to happen. _

"Slower, slower, we don't have time for that. All I want is to find an easier way to get out of our little heads."

Carl thought about his mother and his baby sister Judith. Both of them lost at the prison for different reasons. The hope and love he had felt when he laid eyes on Judith for the first time was now gone, extinguished forever. Only he and his father remained and Rick wouldn't live forever either. Carl would lose him one day too. Then he would be alone, the last remaining member of a forgotten family.

"Have heart, my dear, we're bound to be afraid. Even if it's just for a few days, making up for all this mess."

_Jason and Kellin held each other close and sang the chorus one last time together, squeezing each other's hands. _

"Light up, light up as if you have a choice. Even if you cannot hear my voice I'll be right beside you dear."

_Kellin's breathing was slowing as the infection took its toll and zapped the light from him. His grasp on Jason's hand had also weakened. It was just about time. The song had ended and their time together was also finally at an end. _

_Jason kissed Kellin's forehead and stroked his hair out of his face. His face had gone pale. _

"_I love you. I love you so much and I always will." Jason told him, squeezing his hand as his tears continued to fall. _

"_I love you too. Always." Kellin replied weakly. He smiled. That same smile Jason had fallen in love with the first time they met. _

_Kellin's breathing stopped and his grip on Jason finally loosened. He was gone. Just like that, the most important person in Jason's life, the only reason he had made it this far, was gone. The last person in the world that he was prepared to lose now lay dead in his arms. Jason wailed with grief, his tears falling on Kellin's lifeless face. _

_As much as he wanted to just sit there and cry himself to sleep he still had something important to do. There was still a promise to keep. Jason pulled out the gun that Kellin had given him and flicked the safety off. He aimed it at Kellin's head, his hand shaking rapidly as he continued to cry. This one simply muscle movement of pulling the trigger was the hardest thing Jason had ever been forced to do. He held his breath. _

"_I'm sorry."_

_Jason pulled the trigger and shot Kellin's lifeless body in the head. Reanimation had been prevented. Now he was alone. Nothing would change that. No one would change that. He had to keep his promise. He had to continue living. Jason examined the gun. It was empty. That had been the last bullet. He threw the gun on the floor and held Kellin's body in his arm and continued to cry. _

Jason couldn't help but cry in front of them. He tried to stop it but he had been holding it back for the entire song. The tears continued to come out. Despite the emotional agony that shot through him there was a sense of relief. He was no longer suffering it alone. He had people who knew. People who cared. Another feeling came to his attention. A pair of arms had wrapped themselves round him. Jason opened his eyes as he accepted the hug. While he was crying he hadn't noticed Carl move over to cuddle him. He also felt Michonne's hand rub his back. Opening his eyes he met Rick's understanding and protective gaze. For the first time in a long time Jason finally felt safe. He finally had purpose again. He had found a new family.

* * *

><p><strong>Finally that chapter is complete. I felt this chapter had to be done before the group reach Terminus and meet the others. The story of what happened with Jason and Kellin has finally been told. His pain has been shared. Although this chapter was centred mainly in flashbacks I hope it was still enjoyable to read and to see all the previous sneak peeks of Jason's life come together a bit more. <strong>

**The next chapter will have them reaching Terminus but not before having a run-in with some "friends." :P  
>If you found this chapter emotionally taxing to read then that's good. I found it emotionally draining to write as I often put myself in Jason's place which isn't somewhere you would ever want to be. <strong>

**Thanks for the Kudos/follows/subscriptions/bookmarks/favourites etc. **

**Thanks to my reviewers of chapter 6: rk0192, SaraP, AnnaJ, kingcarlgrimes, AmbroseViolence & NukeRose. **

**To those who compare this story to the two amazing stories by BeneathThisMask I would just like to stress that I am not copying the idea or the storyline. The basic idea may be similar but I'll be going in a completely different direction which hopefully is more in-keeping with The Walking Dead. **

**The idea of OCxMain Character is extremely common, though is usually with Daryl instead of Carl, granted. **

**Anyways, you know the drill. Leave a review and let me know your thoughts on the chapter. ^^**

**In chapter 8 we reach the end of the line. Terminus. ^^**

**Oh and the song is Run by Snow Patrol. **


	8. Inhuman

**INHUMAN**

"_Come on, Jason!" The voice yelled. "Focus!"_

_Jason tried his hardest to concentrate and aim correctly. The Glock was getting heavier in his hands the longer this went on. The painted targets were moving erratically around the range and to him they appeared to be getting faster. Officer Shane Walsh's yelling wasn't helping him focus. _

_He took a shot but missed again. The targets stopped moving. Jason removed the earmuffs as Shane approached. _

"_I'm trying, I swear." Jason pleaded. He knew Shane was a good man and an excellent gun instructor but he was being pretty hard on him right now. _

"_Then try harder." Shane told him. "If you ever need to use one of these chances are your target ain't gonna stand still for you."_

"_I'm hoping I never need to." Jason answered, trying to be pragmatic. _

"_What happens if you do have to? Huh?" Shane spat back. "A criminal decides to get revenge on your old man and comes to the house. What then?"_

_Jason lowered his gaze, his hair bangs falling in front of his face. _

"_You need to focus. Shut down. Turn off your emotions and act." Shane explained. "You can't be human in that moment. You need to be a machine."_

"_How the hell am I supposed to manage that?" Jason asked. He had always let his emotions guide him. Turning them off was like turning him off. _

"_You just do it. You don't manage it. You do it." Shane told him. "If someone is counting on you every second counts. You don't have time to think. You act."_

"_I can maybe do that in the moment but not right now." Jason explained. "This is target practice. Not a life or death situation."_

"_What happens if someone threatens Kellin?" Shane asked him, narrowing his eyes. "You just gonna let them hurt him because he's too soft and weak to defend himself?"_

_Jason tightened his fist, spun on the spot and punched Shane in the jaw, knocking the larger man off balance. Jason froze where he stood. He instantly regretted striking the man but he hadn't been thinking in that moment. He was very defensive over his boyfriend for various reasons. No one was permitted to speak ill of him around Jason. Shane's voice broke him out of his thoughts._

"_Like that! That's what you need to do." Shane told him, rubbing his jaw. "Switch off and act."_

_Now Jason understood. It wasn't all your emotions that had to shut down. Just the unnecessary emotions of the moment. His love for his family and his desire to protect them was the very thing that should make him focus. He nodded and placed the earmuffs back on his ears. _

_Jason turned back to the shooting range, the targets moving again after Shane had started them up again. Jason took aim and took his shots. Focused. He no longer missed._

* * *

><p>Jason's eyes fluttered open as he adjusted to the sudden light that reached them. He sat himself up and rubbed his head as he yawned. From the sun's position in the sky he could tell it was still early. Sticking to his morning routine he extracted his notebook from his bag and wrote down the tally mark for that day. Jason also marked down a second, separate tally. He returned the notebook to its place in his bag and looked around the camp. Michonne was awake and working out. Carl was still asleep. He smiled as he observed the teen's sleeping form. Carl looked so innocent as he slept, much like a sleeping puppy. That's when it occurred to Jason. Rick was missing.<p>

Jason looked around for the man. Given that Michonne was calmly working out he assumed there was no danger. Rick was probably out getting water or food for them so he relaxed and sat against the tree. He still needed to wake up fully and there was no rush to do so. It was still hard for him to get his head round. Here he was with people that cared. Jason hadn't expected to find such people ever again. Carl's question from the day before still echoed in his mind. Was he still looking for a good death? He wasn't sure anymore.

Michonne finished her workout and caught Jason looking over at Carl again. She smiled to herself. It was obvious that there were feelings of affection and protectiveness between the two of them. It was something they all needed to see and feel more of to combat the darkness of the world around them. Michonne felt like she could understand the young man after having heard his story the night before. He was as damaged as the rest of them.

"He's a good kid." Michonne told Jason, sitting beside him.

Jason snapped his head away from Carl to look at her before smiling. "Yeah, he is. He's pure."

"You should have seen it. The rage in his eyes when he thought Rick had left you for dead." Michonne explained to him, keeping her voice low so as not to wake the boy. "He cares. A lot. We're all he has left."

Jason nodded. He knew that and it meant a lot to him. "Same goes for all of us really."

The sound of leaves crumpling under foot signalled Rick's return. He stepped through the gap between the strings of their alarm system and sat opposite Jason. Rick placed a hand on Carl's back and shook the boy gently so that he would wake. Carl rolled onto his back and yawned, rubbing his eyes before sitting up to avoid sleep taking him once again. They had a long day ahead of them.

Rick got to work with lighting the fire and produced a few cans of food. They wouldn't be much but it would be something for them to have in their stomachs before they set off towards Terminus yet again. As Rick had estimated the previous day they were two days away from their destination. Jason hoped it would be what it was promised to be. He hated not being able to simply rest for a while.

As Rick used a stick from a tree with a forked top to position the can over their fire he thought for a moment. They were running very low on food.

"I set up some traps." He told them. "We're running low on food."

"I can go without for now." Jason offered.

"No. We all should get to eat." Rick countered, glaring at him with authority. Rick wasn't letting anyone go without food if he could help it.

Rick turned to Carl. "How hungry are you on a scale of one to ten?"

Carl smiled weakly, staring at the fire. "Fifteen."

Rick turned his attention to Michonne.

"Twenty-eight." Michonne answered with a weak smile of her own.

Rick then stared at Jason, expecting an answer to the question from him too.

Jason sighed. "Thirty."

Rick moved the can from the fire, pouring the contents into another can that wasn't red hot.

"Yeah, well, it's been a while." He said as Carl blew out the flame on the end of his stick. "I'm going to check the snares."

The bearded man stood up straight with his hands in his jacket pockets and kicked the fire out by pushing dirt on top of it.

"Can I come with you?" Carl asked, looking up at his father.

Rick smiled. "Well, how else are you gonna learn?"

Carl stood up and helped put the fire out as Rick set his eyes on Michonne and Jason.

"Both of you too." He commanded, earning a smile from them both as they picked up their bags.

They left the bags they didn't immediately need and stepped under the string of their alarm system. The four of them headed in the direction Rick guided them in which was towards the snares he had set up in the early hours of that morning.

"We'll stay another day or two." Rick told them. "Get some more rest."

"Finished healing up?" Michonne asked him, referring to the injuries he received from the Governor.

"I'm almost there." Rick answered with a nod.

Carl sighed. Like Jason and the others, he was sick of being on the road.

"We're close now, right?" He asked his father.

"To Terminus?" Rick asked, making sure he knew what his son meant.

"Yeah." Carl confirmed.

"We are." Rick answered as they walked through a long clearing in the trees towards the snares.

"When we get there are we gonna tell them?" Carl asked. It was a vague and open question.

"Tell them what?" Michonne asked, like Rick and Jason, she was trying to make sense of the boy's vague morning questions.

"Everything that's happened to us." Carl answered, looking up at Michonne. "All the stuff we've done. We gonna tell them the truth?"

Jason thought about that for a moment. He knew he had done some morally questionable things in order to stay alive and there were plenty of things he didn't want to share with strangers. Looking at the kinds of people Rick, Michonne and even Carl were, he could tell they were the same.

"We tell them what they need to know." Jason answered.

Carl leaned forward to catch sight of him behind Michonne. "And what do they need to know?"

"We're gonna tell them who we are." Rick interjected, linking in with Jason's statement.

"But how do you say that? I mean…who are we?" Carl asked, confused.

Rick stared at his son, sensing the confusion and not knowing quite how to answer the question. Jason understood Carl's confusion and felt angry at the world for making such a question valid. None of them were who they were before the apocalypse.

"We are who we have to be." Jason answered. "And who we choose to be."

"What do you mean?" Carl asked, still confused.

"Well, we're hardened survivors. We're all killers in some way or another." Jason answered, trying to explain his thoughts as best as he could. "But we're still good people. We've held on to who we used to be."

The signature snarl of a walker interrupted their discussion as one came stumbling out of the woodland towards them, its arms swinging with the unstable motion of its body. From the other side of the clearing two more walkers staggered into view. Rick and Carl raised their guns while Michonne unsheathed her sword and Jason took out his knife.

Michonne swung her sword swiftly and sliced the top half of the walker's head clean off. Jason rushed the second walker and stabbed it in the forehead with his knife. He struggled however, as his knife got stuck in the skull of the walker leaving him open to attack from the third walker. Before it could lunge at him, Carl kicked the walker's kneecap and brought it to the floor. Michonne brought her sword down into its skull and killed it. Jason removed his knife from the skull of the dead walker and put it away again as they continued on their path.

Five minutes later and they came across one of the snares that Rick had set down that morning. A freshly caught rabbit lay dead in the trap.

"Here you go!" Rick exclaimed happily as he rushed over to it, removing the machinegun from around his body.

He knelt down and picked up the rabbit, untying it from the string of the snare.

"It's a small one but it will do." Rick told them as he placed it in his bag.

Rick returned his attention to the snare itself so he could teach the others how to make one. He picked up the string.

"So, this is just a simple slip-knot. Tie one at both ends and then tie one end to a branch." Rick explained, gesturing to the large branch that sat above the snare.

He then gestured to the carved out path on the ground with a line of sticks on either side.

"Now see this funnel shape in the ground?" He asked, staring at Carl.

Carl examined it quickly. "A trail?"

"That's right!" Rick declared with a nod, setting it up again. "That's where you want to set the noose."

He set the noose at the end of the trap and covered it with some leaves.

"You cover it with leaves and put sticks all around it so any animal has to come this way." Rick explained, running his hand through the trap to the noose. "Right into the trap"

He let his wrist get caught by the noose for added emphasis, the slip-knot tightening instantly around it.

Suddenly a scream broke out close by, a man's voice screaming for help as he was obviously terrified. Carl took off without a second thought, running in the direction of the man.

"Carl! Carl!" Rick tried to stop his son. "Stop!"

Carl continued to run, forcing Rick, Michonne and Jason to take off after him as fast as they could. The boy had honest intentions but those very intentions could get you killed with the way the world is now. Carl came across an open patch of grass that contained a man surrounded by a group of over twenty walkers. The man was screaming and backing away from the crowd but ultimately was just being encircled by the hungry corpses. Carl took aim with his Beretta.

Suddenly Rick wrapped an arm around his son and pulled him away from the clearing behind a tree. Carl tried to fight the man but his father was too strong. Michonne and Jason stood by with their weapons at the ready as they all watched the man get devoured by the walkers, still screaming in fear and agony as they started a feeding frenzy with his body.

As they watched three of the walkers at the end of the group noticed them. They snarled as they started to approach.

"We've gotta go!" Michonne whispered before the group of four took off running in the opposite direction.

They ran as fast as they could and broke out of the woodland back onto the railway. Not far behind them the walkers attempted to follow them, stumbling onto the tracks and snarling as they did so. Ahead of them on the tracks were four walkers feasting on a body, most likely a member of the group the previous screaming man was with. The walkers looked up from their meal and growled before making their approach. Michonne readied her sword, Jason his knife, Rick his revolver and Carl held onto the machinegun his father had been carrying since the house. Carl kept an eye on the walkers behind them as Rick, Michonne and Jason rushed up to the walkers ahead of them to execute them. Rick grabbed his revolver and slammed the barrel into the forehead of the first walker as hard as he could.

* * *

><p><em>Hershel pulled back the curtain that covered the doorway of Rick's cell. He stood looking in, supported by his crutches as the sunlight streamed in on Rick's face.<em>

"_Morning." He announced as Rick opened his eyes, the sunlight stinging them._

"_Is everything okay?" Rick asked, sitting up._

"_Yeah. Just wanted a little help with something." Hershel answered as Rick sat up in the bed, swinging his legs over the side. _

"_What time is it?" Rick asked groggily._

"_I never know what time it is anymore." Hershel answered as Rick rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "Ever since I gave Glenn my watch it's always right now to me. It's early."_

_Rick shook his arm and hand. It was sore from the previous day's supply run. _

_Hershel turned to his youngest daughter, Beth. "He's decent."_

_Beth rounded the corner into the cell and lifted baby Judith out of her cot while Rick checked his watch before putting it on._

"_Beth is going to take Judith." Hershel explained. _

"_What are we doing?" Rick asked, curious._

"_You'll see." Hershel replied as Rick put on his holster. "You're not going to need that. It'll just get in the way."_

_Rick gave Hershel an incredulous look and clipped it on anyway. It was the zombie apocalypse. You needed a gun no matter what you did or where you went. Rick grabbed his jacket and exited the cell._

* * *

><p>Michonne decapitated one of the walkers with her katana as Jason rushed another one. He grabbed the collar of the walker's blood-stained shirt and reeled it in close so he could stab it in the eye with his knife. The other walker approached but he kicked its kneecap and brought his knife up into the walker's head as it fell. He kicked the corpse to the side.<p>

"Let's go!" Rick called. The group behind them was getting thicker and closer.

They all took off running as fast as they could yet again.

* * *

><p><em>Jason grabbed his gun and his hatchet. There were reports of walkers in the vicinity of the camp and he had offered to dispatch them upon daybreak. It was early morning and most people were still asleep. The click of his leg holster was enough to waken Kellin, who was sleeping next to him. <em>

"_Morning poppet." Jason cooed with a smile. "It's early. Go back to sleep."_

"_Where are you going?" Kellin asked him, rubbing his eyes. _

"_Perimeter sweep, that's all." Jason answered with a shrug, pulling on his leather jacket. _

_Kellin got out of bed and wrapped his arms around Jason's waist, hugging him from behind and rested his chin on Jason's left shoulder. _

"_You know I don't like it when you go out there." Kellin commented, his hands rubbing Jason's stomach softly under his jacket. _

"_I know but it has to be done." Jason answered, leaning back into the hug. _

"_It doesn't have to be you." Kellin replied. "You don't have to do everything."_

_Jason sighed, resting his hands on Kellin's hands. "I have to keep you safe."_

"_There's thirty of us here. Let them secure the camp." Kellin retorted. "I'm safe. I want to spend time with you."_

_Jason turned his head in an attempt to stare at Kellin but his lover wouldn't budge from behind him. _

"_You do spend time with me though." Jason answered. "We always spend time together."_

"_Time that doesn't involve the dead." Kellin added. "Personal time. Time for us and just us."_

_Jason lifted one of Kellin's hands to his mouth and kissed it. "Later. I promised to do this."_

* * *

><p>The group had taken to a main road away from the tracks. They had managed to lose the walker horde for the time being but they knew better than to relax too soon. They were exposed and needed to find somewhere to rest as the sun was getting low in the sky.<p>

"Thought there might be some houses down here or a store." Michonne commented, breathing hard from the exertion. "There's gotta be some food around here somewhere."

"Hey look!" Carl called out.

Ahead of them was an abandoned SUV. The lights and grill had fallen off and the back doors were wide open. Debris was scattered over the road along with a walker with a crushed body. They rushed up to the car with Rick and Carl checking for walkers inside of it. Jason scouted the surrounding treeline for any approaching walkers and Michonne walked over to the crushed walker on the side of the road. It reached its one movable arm up at her as it rasped out in an attempt to move. She stabbed the tip of her sword into its temple, flicking the blood off the blade before returning to the others by the car. The SUV wasn't much but it would have to do.

* * *

><p>An hour or so later and night had fallen upon them. Rick and Michonne sat outside by the camp fire while Jason sat in the car with Carl. Carl had found it cold and wanted to get comfortable before finally sleeping and Jason had offered to keep him company instead of leaving him on his own in the car. Jason sat in the driver's seat with his arms folded.<p>

"What do we do if it's not there anymore?" Carl asked out of the blue.

Jason turned to him, thinking his answer through before replying. "Then I know a place we could go for a while."

"Is it safe?" Carl asked. He was sick of being out on the road with constant danger lurking round every corner.

"Safer than here at least." Jason answered. He honestly couldn't tell what state his previous hide-outs would be in.

"Is loving someone worth it anymore?" Carl asked, yet another question that came out of nowhere.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked, slightly stunned by the wording of the question.

"Well, any one of us could die tomorrow or even tonight." Carl explained himself, his tone depressingly low. "Won't love just bring even more pain?"

Jason thought for a moment, looking ahead through the windscreen at the campfire. Carl did have a point but he couldn't accept it to be true. There was always more than one way to look at things.

"That's true but it also makes love all the more special." Jason answered.

"Michonne told me that love is something you act on." Carl told him, though his hesitant tone showed he still didn't fully understand what that meant.

"She's right. The people you know could all die tomorrow." Jason answered, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "How you make them feel before their time comes is so, _so_ important for that very reason."

"So you should love someone even if you don't have long?" Carl asked, trying to understand Jason's way of thinking.

"Absolutely. I'd rather die having experienced love than died without ever knowing what it felt like." Jason told him, rubbing his shoulder gently. "You should get some sleep."

Carl closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm trying but I can't relax enough."

Jason moved his hand to the back of Carl's neck, placing his fingers strongly against it. This earned a gasp from Carl.

"Your hand is freezing!" Carl gasped out.

"Yeah, but it will relax you. Hold still." Jason told him.

Jason kept his cold hand on the back of Carl's neck and sure enough the teen began to relax. After a while he could tell Carl was asleep, the expression on his face having softened completely. Jason retracted his hand and quietly stepped out of the car. He put his hands in his jacket pockets and stared up at the stars and thought about his conversation with Carl. He felt it was a shame that Carl still hadn't experienced the warmth that he himself had felt with Kellin. It was different to friendship or the love of family. It was so much stronger and more intense. He would give that gift, that experience to Carl if he could but it wasn't his place and never would be. Jason continued to stare at the stars above, lost in his thoughts.

"That was one small rabbit." Rick commented to Michonne.

"It was something." Michonne answered. "Got to hand it to the thing. It travelled well."

Rick chuckled at this.

"Have you noticed that's all we talk about any more." Rick commented. "Food. I forgot what this feels like."

"Me too." Michonne answered. The prison had softened them a little. "I hope we're able to forget again soon."

Rick nodded. "We're close. Just got to make it through another day."

He stomped out the fire with some dirt.

"If folks there are taking people in, they have to be strong." Rick continued. "They have to have a system."

"I wonder if the whole thing is legit." Michonne argued. She had been to Woodbury with the Governor and was suspicious of any repeats.

A twig snapped somewhere in the forest, alerting them. There was no snarling. No walkers. Rick stood up and looked around. It was too dark to see anything clearly but there were no other sounds. Perhaps a squirrel had broken a twig off a branch or something. Rick sat back down.

"We let people in." Rick countered. Not everywhere could be bad.

"We did." Michonne retorted. "But so did the Governor."

"Yeah, it's always the same isn't it? We don't get to know until we know." Rick said with a nod of his head. "Maybe this place isn't even there anymore."

A sudden movement caught his vision and his ears as the barrel of a gun rested on his temple.

"Oh dearie me!" A voice suddenly declared.

Michonne reached for her sword but it was kicked away by another man who pointed a revolver at her. Two other men came out of the darkness and aimed their weapons at Rick and Michonne.

"You screwed up asshole." The older man said to Rick. "You hear me? You screwed up."

Jason jumped out from behind the car with his gun drawn. He aimed it at the older man who he had quickly identified as the leader of the group.

"Drop your guns." Jason growled.

The older man chuckled at him. "Or what? You going to pull the trigger?" He questioned Jason. "Because if you do that you're all as good as dead."

"Maybe." Jason countered. "But you won't get to see it."

"You've got spirit, kid." The grey haired man commented. "Len!"

From the darkness another man appeared and smacked Jason in the back of the head with an assault rifle. Jason collapsed on his front, dropping his gun to the ground in the process. His head spun and his vision went blurry from the sudden head trauma. The man above him placed their foot on his back and pressed the barrel of their gun into the back of his neck.

Carl awoke to a fatter man pressing himself against the window of the car with a large blade in his hand. He looked out to see Rick and Michonne held at gunpoint and he couldn't see Jason. Panic and fear shot through him. What was he supposed to do?

"Today is a day of reckoning, sir. Restitution." The older man spoke into Rick's ear. "A balancing of the whole damn universe."

Jason tried to move but with the barrel of the rifle against his neck and his gun out of reach he had little hope of accomplishing anything.

"Shit, and I was thinking of turning in for the night on New Year's Eve!" The grey haired man exclaimed. Rick recognised the voices now. They were the men from the house.

The man laughed in delight. "Now who's going to count down the ball dropper with me, huh?"

Jason growled. They were all going to die in mere moments unless one of them done something fast. The man began to count.

"Ten Mississippi. Nine Mississippi." He counted down loudly. "Eight Mississippi."

"Joe!" A voice called out from the darkness.

Jason groaned. Not another one. They were outnumbered and outmatched. What kind of an end to life was this going to be? Shot and killed by some vengeful bandits. Jason turned his head to look up at the final member of the despicable group. He held a crossbow in one hand and a black bag in the other. He wore thick boots and clothes including a leather body warmer and his hair was at neck length. Jason turned back to see looks of shock on Rick and Michonne's faces. They must have known this last guy.

"Hold up." The man told the grey haired man, now known as Joe.

"You're stopping me on eight, _Daryl_." Joe responded.

That's when it clicked for Jason. Carl had mentioned one of their group being called Daryl, one of the people they believed dead. That same person had also owned a crossbow that Carl wanted to learn how to shoot. _This was him_.

"Just hold up." Daryl told the leader of the group, approaching Rick and Michonne.

"This is the guy who killed Lou, so we got nothing to talk about." The man with a rifle hissed.

"The thing about nowadays is we got nothing but time." Joe answered the other man before turning back to Daryl. "Say your piece, Daryl."

Daryl was visibly nervous. Jason could tell from the body language but there was also a strange confidence. It was loyalty.

"These people, you're gonna let them go." Daryl told the man, his voice low. "These are good people."

"Now I think Lou would disagree with you on that." Joe answered with an incredulous smile. "I'll, of course, have to speak for him and all, because your friend here strangled him in a bathroom."

Daryl took another step forward. "You want blood, I get it."

He dropped his bag and crossbow and held his arms out at hip height. "Take it from me, man. Come on."

Jason grunted as he tried to move. Daryl, their friend from when this whole thing started, was about to sacrifice himself for them. He couldn't let that happen.

Joe's face was riddled with hurt and betrayal.

"This man killed our friend. You say he's good people." Joe spoke slowly. "Now you see that right there is a _lie_."

Daryl seemed to weaken in place, lowering his hands as if accepting some kind of defeat.

"It's a _lie_!" Joe repeated angrily.

The two men who had been aiming at Rick and Michonne descended on Daryl, hitting him, striking him, beating him and pounding him up against the side of the car. In the mix of grunts and blows, Jason could swear he heard Rick growl out in defiance.

"Teach him fellas, teach him all the way!" Joe ordered them, the smile back on his face.

Jason heard the door of the SUV open and a cry from Carl. The fat man came into view, holding Carl in place with a knife to his throat.

"You leave him be!" Rick bellowed, trying to stand up but was forced back down by Joe.

"Don't you touch him!" Jason roared, lifting himself up with enough force to move the man's foot off his back.

It did no good. As soon as he rolled over he received a kick to the face, bursting his lip open and dazing him yet again. This time with the barrel pointed at his face. The long haired man grinned maliciously.

Carl cried in fear as the man shushed him, pushing his fat lips and nose against the boy's ear. Carl tried to fight but his movements were restricted by the blade pressed against his neck. Michonne tried to move out of desperation but quickly realised it was pointless.

"You'll get yours." The man holding her at gunpoint spat. "You just wait your turn."

Jason felt sweat pouring down his face from the anxiety and the adrenaline. He had to do something. Carl was at knife point, Rick and Michonne were at gunpoint and Daryl was getting slowly beaten to death.

"Let them go! I killed your friend." Jason shouted at them in desperation. "_I killed him_. _I'm _the one you want!"

Rick and Michonne glared over at the young man. They hadn't expected that from him in this kind of situation. Rick knew they were all going to be killed regardless of who actually committed the crime. Carl's cries loudened, it was hard to tell if it was from fear for his own safety or from Jason's last ditch attempt to save them.

"All you did was shoot at us, son." Joe answered Jason's confession. "You didn't hit us either. So quit your lying."

Rick raised his shoulders, rage and adrenaline surging through him. "Listen, it was me. It was just me!"

Joe lowered himself to just above Rick's head.

"See, now that's right. That's not some damn lie." Joe replied calmly. "Look, we can settle this. We're reasonable men."

Rick doubted an apology was going to fix this. His doubts were quickly confirmed as Daryl hit the ground, his face bleeding.

"First, we're going to beat Daryl to death. Then we'll have the girl." Joe taunted him sadistically. "Then we'll beat your friend to death. Then we'll have the boy. Then I'm gonna shoot you and then we'll be square."

Joe laughed malevolently in Rick's ear. Daryl's beating continued to get worse. Michonne was powerless. Rick was powerless. The fat man pushed Carl onto the ground, holding him down and trying to get to his belt. Joe continued laughing. Jason grabbed the barrel of the gun above him and forced it aside, trying to break free but received a kick to the ribs as a result. Carl continued to cry in fear.

"Let him go." Rick growled.

"Stop your squirming." The fat man cackled, overpowering Carl.

Rick looked straight ahead of him. His body was shaking. Rage was boiling inside of him. What little self-control he had left was rapidly slipping away. His son was in danger. His friends were in danger. His _son_ was in danger. Joe continued laughing. His rage boiled more. Daryl's beating continued. His rage bubbled to the surface. His son cried out more. _His son was in danger_. The rage reached the surface. Fury became Rick's master.

"Let him go!" Rick growled icily.

Joe continued to laugh in his ear. Carl cried out again. The fat man cackled.

Suddenly Rick snapped his head back, striking Joe in the nose with the top of his head. The older man stumbled back from the blow and fired his gun out of reflex. The gunshot rang in Rick's ears, making him go slightly dizzy. He was also drunk with raw anger. His fury had exploded. These men would die. Rick was going to kill all of them, starting with Joe.

Rick stood up and punched Joe in the face. His blow was weak however as his ribs on that side had not fully healed. Joe struck Rick in the face with his pistol, knocking him to the floor and kicking his ribs.

"I got him." Joe told the others. "Oh, it's gonna be so much worse now!"

Carl continued to try and fight his way out from under the fat man above him. He reached for the blade but it was out of his reach. The man cackled in his face as he forced him onto his front.

Rick tried to get up but his body wasn't responding. His head was spinning and his vision was blurry from being pistol whipped in the temple.

Daryl was on the ground, the men above him were striking him over and over again. He could no longer fight back.

Michonne tried to grab the revolver but was smacked back into submission.

The man pinning Jason down started kicking him repeatedly in the side. His leather jacket absorbed some of the impact but it wouldn't be long before his ribs started to crack. Jason turned his head away from his assailant to meet Carl's terrified eyes.

"Carl! You're not alone!" Jason shouted desperately. "We're getting out of this. I _promise_!"

The sheer terror in Carl's eyes told Jason the teen didn't believe a word of it.

Rick still couldn't get on his feet. His head was spinning too much.

"Come on! Get up!" Joe snarled at him.

Daryl used what little strength he had left to try and fight back but the two men slammed him against the car before striking him back down.

"Come on!" Joe taunted. "Let's see what you got!"

The fat man pinned Carl's head to the floor. He had got Carl's belt and jeans loose and was now working on his own. He continued to cackle as Carl screamed in terror and pain.

Jason tried to grab the gun again but was kicked on the other side of his face. He spat out blood onto the leaves beside him and tried to snake his hand into his jacket pocket without being seen.

"You leave him be!" Rick growled and charged at Joe.

"Right over here!" Joe called out as he caught Rick in a bear hug. "What the hell are you gonna do now, sport?"

Rick had one thought going through his mind. Protect Carl. He was going to kill every last one of them. _Starting with Joe_.

Rick thrust his head forward and sank his teeth into Joe's neck. He bit down as hard as he could and pulled back strongly, ripping the older man's jugular out. Blood spurted everywhere as Joe gargled out in shock and pain. Rick spat out the flesh and blood from Joe's neck as the man slowly slumped to the ground.

Everyone froze in shock.

Jason saw his chance. He brought his knife out of his pocket and slammed it into the man's ankle with as much force as he could. The man cried out in pain and fell on his side. Jason pounced on the man and stabbed him in the chest repeatedly. Twice. Three times. Four times. Five times. Blood splattered everywhere as the man's life was taken. The sixth stab was to his forehead. Jason left the knife in the man's skull and grabbed his gun.

Michonne took advantage of the distraction and grabbed the revolver from the hand of her assailant. Before he could react she shot him in the head before shooting one of the men beating Daryl too.

Daryl punched the other man to the ground and started beating him with new found strength, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Michonne turned her gun to the fat man who had stood up and had Carl at knifepoint again.

"Let the boy go!" Michonne demanded.

"I'll kill him! I'll kill him!" The man yelled in a blind panic.

Cold steel pressed against the back of his head. Before he could react a gloved hand ripped the blade from his hand and a boot slammed into the back of his knee. The fat man dropped to his knees with the cold barrel of a gun pressed to the back of his head.

"No. You _won't_." Jason growled furiously and prepared to pull the trigger.

Daryl finished off the man he was beating with a strong kick to the head.

Rick took the large blade that had belonged to Joe out from the man's belt. He glared over at the fat man that Jason held at gunpoint. Carl ran over into Michonne's arms.

"He's mine." Rick declared. His tone was ice cold.

Jason holstered his gun and backed away. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. If looks could kill, Rick's glare could decimate entire armies.

Rick marched over to the fat man who held his hands up.

"Stay back! Please!" He pleaded for his life, standing up.

Rick grabbed his collar and thrust the knife into the man's stomach as deep as he could go. Blood erupted from the man's mouth along with a gargled cry of agony. He screamed in terror and excruciating pain as Rick forced the blade upward and into his chest. Rick was opening him up like a bag.

Carl watched on with hatred and fear in his eyes. Michonne held him close as she too was in shock at the violent display from Rick. Jason was stunned. He couldn't move or speak.

Rick held the man by the throat as he pulled the blade as far up as the man's collarbones. The man dropped to his knees from shock and blood loss. That's when Rick started to stab him.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

Daryl rested on the hood of the car as he watched Rick mutilate the man who had attempted to rape his son.

Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.

The stabs now sounded like the knife was going into sludge. Blood was pouring everywhere out of the man's body. Carl continued to watch. Michonne had to close her eyes, the sight was too much for her.

Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen.

Jason watched in horror as Rick continued to stab the man until there was nothing left. The man was long since dead but Rick continued stabbing him. Now Jason truly understood how protective Rick was of his son. He hadn't been exaggerating when he had warned Jason that he would be gutted if he touched Carl the wrong way.

Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty.

Rick's arm had gone numb. His whole body had gone numb. All that he could feel was hatred. Pure, all-consuming hatred for the dead man in his hands. No one threatened his son and got to live. No one tried to rape his son and got to live. No one threatened to kill his son and got to live. Rick would kill anything or anyone that was a threat to Carl. No exceptions.

Twenty-one. Twenty-two. Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five.

* * *

><p><em>Hershel tapped a patch of grass in the prison courtyard with one of his crutches. <em>

"_Here." He announced._

_Rick walked over to him, his jacket now on. "What is?"_

"_Those feral pigs in the forest? It doesn't take much to domesticate them. Same with the horses we've seen." Hershel explained. "We have seeds. We can grow our own food. It's time we started planting."_

_Rick nodded. It sounded reasonable and reduce the need for runs. "Okay."_

_Hershel leaned forward slightly. "I can't do it myself."_

_Rick smiled as he glanced over at Daryl who was prepping his motorcycle for the next supply run._

"_I got to go out there." Rick answered. "Go on runs, be at the fences."_

_Hershel hopped closer. "I teach you how to do this. You teach Carl. We're going to be here a while."_

_Rick looked over at Daryl again. "They need me."_

"_We've been here two months. You've made it work." Hershel told him. The Governor was also gone. "The war is over, Rick."_

_Rick refused to let his guard down so quickly. "No, we don't know that."_

"_I'm talking about you." Hershel stared into Rick's eyes. "I'm saying it, and I'm saying this. You pull Carl back from going out there, fine. He shot that boy."_

_Rick looked down. That was one of his biggest failures as a father, failing to see the monster the world was turning his son into._

"_Yeah, I know."_

"_He needs his father. He needs his father to show him the way." Hershel continued. "What way are you going to show him?"_

_Rick studied Hershel as he tried to find an answer within his own mind. Though his responsibilities as a father were of the upmost importance, so were his responsibilities as a leader._

"_He can shoot, we know that. What's his life going to be?" Hershel added. "What's yours?"_

_Hershel looked around at the prison. They had people, food, water, space, thick walls, fences, weapons and organisation. They were surviving. They were living. _

"_All this. I'm just saying everything because I owe you. We all owe you." Hershel continued. "We can make this better now."_

_Rick knew Hershel was right but at the same time they couldn't afford to get complacent. The world outside of their fences was a nightmare, an endless nightmare filled with danger and death. _

"_Things changing in here doesn't change things out there." Rick countered._

"_No it doesn't. But we're here right now, today." Hershel answered. "This is a good place to start."_

_Rick looked over at Daryl who was revving his engine to make sure there were no problems with the bike. _

"_There's a run soon." Rick told the old man in front of him. "I got to go."_

_Hershel smiled. "No, you don't."_

_Rick stared back before finally walking off towards Daryl._

* * *

><p>Rick sat against the SUV. His face, front and hands were caked the blood from the night before. The sun had risen an hour ago. His hands shook. For all the efforts to create a place they could live it had been lost. He had tried to protect his son from the horrors of the world but they could never run away from them for long. Rick knew now what he had to do, what he had to become to keep Carl safe. His actions the night before would have been some of the most horrific things imaginable in his life before the apocalypse. Now, they were justified. Necessary. Rick refused to become a monster but if he had to unleash his inner monster to keep his friends and family safe then that is what he would do. In the past, he had found it hard to come to terms with his own brutality but now he had found inner peace with it. Being brutal kept Carl alive. That's all that mattered.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Kellin awoke to find Jason clipping on his holster. He groaned in frustration. He hated it when Jason went out on perimeter watch. He hated anything that made Jason and violence mix. He got up and crept up behind his lover, placing his hand on the holster to unclip it.<em>

"_No." He whispered into Jason's ear. _

_Jason turned to him. "I have to."_

"_No." Kellin said, throwing the holster and the gun inside it a few feet away. _

"_I have to help them. You know that, babe." Jason tried to argue his case. _

"_There are others. It doesn't always have to be you." Kellin argued. "I hate it. I hate it when you're out there. One day you won't come back."_

"_I'd never let that happen." Jason replied, stroking Kellin's hair. "I'd never abandon you."_

_Kellin wrapped his arms around Jason's waist. "Then prove it. Don't go today. No more violence."_

_Jason sighed. He was conflicted. He was one of the best in their camp when it came to firearms but he was getting tired of always being on the front lines. Looking into Kellin's gaze which mirrored that of a puppy begging he felt his resolve melting. _

"_I can't forget about violence completely." Jason told his soul mate. "Violence keeps us alive."_

_Kellin pulled Jason closer, cuddling into him. "I know. But having you is what really keeps me alive."_

_Jason kissed his boyfriend's forehead and hugged him back. Now he understood. Kellin lived every day fearing for Jason's safety. Jason wouldn't tolerate it. _

"_Okay." He whispered. "Okay. I'll stop."_

_Kellin smiled. It wasn't a proud smile or a smile of victory. It was a smile of relief. Of comfort. They shared a kiss before footsteps approached their tent. They separated. _

_One of their camp members opened the door of the tent and looked in. _

"_Jason, you coming?" He asked, his gun in hand. _

"_No. I'm tired." Jason answered. "About time someone else pulls their weight a bit more."_

_The man seemed to accept Jason's answer as he closed the door and wandered off. Disappointment had been on his face but Jason couldn't care less. _

_Jason turned back to Kellin and embraced him. _

"_Where were we?" He asked with a smile before closing the gap between them._

* * *

><p>Jason wiped the blood off his face with a cloth he had retrieved from his bag. His side ached and his lips were swollen from where the kicks had split them open. The introduction to Daryl had been interesting for him. This was indeed the same Daryl they had known since the start of the apocalypse and was famous for his crossbow skills. Daryl's reaction to the short version of Jason's story had been a positive one, declaring Jason a friend by association with Rick, Carl and Michonne.<p>

Michonne and Carl were inside the SUV. She had managed to sooth the boy to sleep on her lap though she herself hadn't slept at all.

Jason approached Rick and sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry." Jason apologised, not looking at the man. "I should have done more."

Rick stared at him intensely, nudging him so the young man would stare back.

"Hey. You did enough." Rick told him. "You did more than enough. You tried to sacrifice yourself to save us."

Jason nodded. "As soon as I saw what they were planning to do to Carl…"

Jason couldn't finish the sentence. He wanted to but he couldn't find the words. It had been an act of desperation, a desperate attempt to save Carl from such an awful fate no matter what the cost.

"You have nothing to feel sorry for." Rick told him. "You're one of us."

Jason nodded. It meant a lot for Rick to repeat his place in the group. He had felt so powerless when the group of men descended upon them. The only one truly strong enough to make a difference had been Rick. The love of a father for his son was a fearsome weapon. Jason didn't talk about what Rick had done. He didn't want to go there. The brutality had been obtuse and disproportionate. On the other side of the car, there was still a pool of blood where Rick had stabbed the man over thirty times.

Daryl returned from where he had been and rested his crossbow against the front of the car. He took a cloth out from his pocket and poured water on it as he approached Rick. Rick raised his hand.

"No, we should save it to drink." Rick argued.

"You can't see yourself." Daryl answered, handing the cloth over. "_He_ can."

Daryl was referring to Carl. Rick understood that when Carl woke up it was better for his face to be clean instead of still being caked in blood. He didn't need an instant reminder of the night before. Rick started wiping the blood off his face, surprised at how much was appearing on the cloth. Daryl sat down next to him on the opposite side from Jason.

"I didn't know what they were." Daryl defended himself.

"How'd you wind up with them?" Rick asked, staring at Daryl.

"I was with Beth. We got out together." Daryl explained, referring to the prison. "I was with her for a while."

Daryl's silence concerned Rick. Beth wasn't with them and Daryl was uncharacteristically silent.

"Is she dead?" Rick asked. Had they failed to save Beth as well as Hershel?

"She's just gone." Daryl answered. He would have to explain the story at a later date.

Rick accepted the explanation for now and nodded. Beth could still be alive. That was something.

"After that, that's when they found me. I mean, I knew they were bad but…" Daryl explained. "But they had a code. It was simple. Stupid. But it was something. It was enough."

Rick was starting to make sense of the whole situation. Daryl had been left on his own after Beth's disappearance and despite the evil of that group of men, there was always safety in numbers.

"And you were alone." Rick stated.

"Said they were looking for some guy. Last night they said they spotted him." Daryl explained solemnly. "I was hanging back. I was going to leave. But I stayed."

Daryl took a breath. Guilt was welling up inside of him.

"That's when I saw it was you four. Right when you saw me." Daryl explained, his voice almost a whisper. "I didn't know what they could do."

Daryl looked down. The pain of his guilt was stronger than the aching of his physical injuries. Rick studied the hunter for a moment. He could see the guilt on Daryl's face.

"It's not on you, Daryl." Rick leaned his head forward, getting the other man's attention. "Hey, it's not on you."

Daryl's face showed that he was still beating himself up inside. He had assisted the men who almost tortured and killed his friends.

"You being back with us here, now, that's everything." Rick continued. "You're my _brother_."

Emotion surged through Daryl's face. The only real brother he had ever had was abusive and had never really been there for him. He had lost Merle to the Governor many months before. Now Rick had named him his brother. Any doubts of trust or loyalty had instantly been dissolved.

Daryl glanced at Rick's blood-stained hands.

"Hey, what you did last night." He commented. "Anybody would have done that."

Rick shook his head. "No, not _that_."

Daryl tried to justify Rick's brutality in his own mind. "Something happened. That ain't you."

Rick sighed. "Daryl, you saw what I did to Tyreese. It ain't all of it but that's me."

Unbeknownst to Rick, Carl had awakened inside the car and was listening to his father's words in shock but also in understanding.

"That's why I'm here now. That's why Carl is. I want to keep him safe. That's all that matters." Rick finished.

"I would have done something similar." Jason commented. "If anyone had threatened Kellin like that."

"Kellin?" Daryl questioned. He didn't know Jason's backstory.

Rick wasn't sure if it was his place to say but Jason opened up.

"My boyfriend. He died six months ago. He got bit." Jason explained. "I would have died to save him."

Rick turned to Jason. "You were willing to die to save us, to save Carl."

Jason stared back at Rick. "I was also willing to kill. I _did_."

"We all did." Daryl commented, earning a nod from both Rick and Jason.

Despite the horrors of the night before and the profound conversation they were having, Jason took out his notebook and continued with his morning routine. One tally for another day without Kellin. One tally for another day with his new family.

* * *

><p>They had been walking along the tracks for a few hours. They had scavenged the supplies and weapons from the group that attacked them. Rick and Michonne led the way, Daryl walked in the middle and Jason and Carl were at the back. Carl had been very quiet the whole day and Jason had noticed it.<p>

Michonne studied Rick for a moment before he turned to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Michonne answered with a nod.

"I'm okay." Rick told her, expecting her to return the question.

"I know." Michonne replied with another nod.

Rick hadn't expected that. "How?"

"Because I'm okay too." Michonne answered.

Rick accepted that answer and continued to lead the way.

Jason stared at Carl, trying to read the fourteen-year-old's blank face. The boy was a mystery and he was obviously hurt from the night before. He hated the cut on Carl's cheek. It looked like it stung constantly. At least that bastard got what he deserved. Jason knew there was more to Carl's silence than just that but he wasn't sure how to get it out of him.

"You okay, Carl?" Jason asked lowly. Rick couldn't hear them but he knew Daryl could.

Carl barely nodded but he nodded nonetheless. Jason didn't like the reaction.

"You sure?" He asked softly, stepping closer to the teen.

"Yeah." Carl replied weakly. "Just want to get to Terminus already."

Jason placed a hand on the boy's shoulder but immediately removed it when Carl flinched in reaction to it. Carl was edgy about being touched after what happened.

"Sorry. I'm sorry." Jason whispered, realising his mistake.

Carl nodded. He knew he had no reason to flinch from Jason but he couldn't help it. He didn't want anyone to touch him. It wasn't just the horror of what had almost happened that was bothering Carl. Yet again he had been different from the others. Michonne fought back. Daryl fought back. Jason fought back. Rick fought back. Carl was simply dominated. Carl had to be rescued. A weak boy who couldn't save anyone. He was a burden on them. He knew it.

They came upon another sign for Terminus. They were at the end of the line. It wasn't far if they continued going straight on.

"We getting close." Daryl pointed out. "Be there before sundown."

"Now we head through the woods." Rick told them. "We don't know who we are."

"Alright." Daryl answered and made his way towards the trees.

As they all veered off the tracks and into the woods, Rick caught sight of Carl's quieter demeanour and Jason's visible concern.

Birds chirped above them as they made their way through the trees towards a fence. It was the perimeter fence of Terminus. Rick dropped his bag and kept his body low and his gun drawn as he approached the fence. They all followed him with their weapons at the ready. Jason and Carl with their guns and Daryl with his crossbow. Terminus appeared to be quiet. No signs of life could be seen from where they stood.

"We all spread out, watch for a while." Rick told them, keeping his voice low. "See what we see and get ready. We all stay close."

Daryl headed off in one direction while Michonne headed off in the opposite direction from Daryl. Carl started to walk but was stopped by Rick.

"You want to stick with me?" Rick asked his son.

"It's alright." Carl answered and walked off after Michonne.

Jason stayed with Rick for a moment, looking through the fence at Terminus.

"I think he's still in shock or something." Jason commented quietly.

"He was nearly raped." Rick answered with the obvious.

"That and witnessing what you did." Jason replied. "I knew you would do something but I didn't expect _that_."

"You saying he's afraid of me?" Rick asked, curious and concerned.

"I don't know." Jason shrugged. "But I don't think so."

Jason left the statement hanging in the air as he went over to their bags. He pulled out two serrated switchblades and some tape. Rick stared at him with confusion framed on his expression.

"What are you doing?" He asked the young man.

"Getting ready." Jason answered, sitting down and taking one of his boots off.

Carl walked alongside Michonne, still quiet and visibly upset.

"Why didn't you go with your dad?" Michonne asked softly, holding her sword at the ready as they walked.

Carl put his free hand in the pocket of his jumper, his other hand holding his Beretta. He didn't answer.

"When I told you about Andre." Michonne commented. "You never asked _how_ he died."

"I knew why." Carl answered.

"Yeah but the how is important." Michonne countered.

They stopped walking as Michonne told Carl her story.

"We went to a refugee camp, Andre and my boyfriend, Mike. That was Andre's father. And our friend Terry." Michonne explained. "At the camp, it just got worse and worse. People were leaving. People were giving up."

Carl stared at Michonne, fascinated by her story but preparing himself for the sad ending it would inevitably have.

"But I didn't. I was coming back from a run. I saw the fences were down." Michonne explained, shuddering. "I heard the moans. It was over. Mike and Terry, they were high when it happened. They were bit."

Michonne couldn't stop some tears from rolling down her face.

"I could have stopped it. Could have killed them. But I let them turn." Michonne continued. "I made it so they couldn't bite, couldn't scratch. I tied chains around their necks."

Carl stared at her with a mix of pain and horror at the image she had put into his head.

"It was insane. It was sick. It felt like what I deserved." Michonne told him. "Dragging them around so that I would always know. I found out that they kept me safe."

Michonne couldn't help but reflect on the irony of the situation. Her self-punishment helped keep her alive. She smirked briefly.

"They hid me. The walkers didn't see me anymore." She explained. "I was just another monster. And I was. Me. I was gone for a long time."

Carl understood that she meant the psychological damage it had caused her. He remembered how closed off and cold she was when she first appeared at the prison fences.

"But then Andrea brought me back. Your dad brought me back." Michonne smiled through the tears. "You did."

Carl lowered his head. It was a lot to take in. He might have felt physically powerless to save people but here was Michonne telling him that he emotionally saved her. He saved her soul so to speak. That was arguably more important and much more difficult. Michonne lowered her head to peer under his hat.

"I see how you've been looking at your dad. You don't have to be afraid of me." Michonne told him. "Or him. Or Jason. We're family."

Carl fought to keep his emotions in check, to stop the tears from falling. Michonne had successfully broken down his barriers.

"He told me the other day that he was proud of me. That I was a good man." Carl told her in a solemn whisper. "I'm not. I know more now. About what he wanted from me. And I tried but…"

Carl felt the grief and guilt wrapping round him, clutching at his heart like a vice.

"I still have these thoughts. I'm not what he thinks I am." Carl shook his head as the tears began to show themselves. "I'm just another monster too."

Michonne hugged Carl softly. Now she understood what had been bothering him. It was only as she looked over Carl's hat did she spot him. Jason stood behind Carl, leaning his arm against a tree.

"Carl. You're not a monster." Jason told him, causing the boy to break the hug and turn round. "Monsters don't have a conscience. Those men back there? They were monsters."

Jason walked up to him and stared into the boy's eyes.

"The fact that you are so upset shows you are _not_ a monster." Jason continued. "You _are_ a good man. So is your dad."

"But what my dad did last night. I wanted to do that and more." Carl retorted, tears rolling down his cheeks. "How can I be a good man and have those thoughts?"

"Because even the best people have to do the most brutal things to survive." Jason answered, placing his hands on Carl's shoulders and rubbing them softly.

"If you kill to protect. You're not a monster." Jason continued. "I stabbed a man to death last night because I made you a promise."

"I'm just a burden. You all can fight. I can't." Carl spat, looking down.

"You're young. You have saved us so many times." Jason told the boy. "You have saved who we are. The good people inside us. You've stopped us from becoming monsters."

Carl didn't answer, he just stared at his feet. His hat obscured his face yet again.

"You said we should share our pain, right?" Jason reminded him.

Carl looked up and nodded.

"The scar on my stomach? I got it when two thieves tried to take my things." Jason told him. "What I didn't tell you was that they tried to rape me that night too."

Carl's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected that. How could someone as apparently strong as Jason be put into the same position he had been last night. Powerless and defenceless?

"I killed them both in the most brutal way I could for that." Jason told him. "So don't think for one minute that you're weak or that you're a monster. You're neither."

"When I was alone for six months, I was dead inside. I wasn't any different than the walkers." Jason continued, staring firmly into Carl's eyes. "Just like Michonne, you brought me back. I owe you, Carl."

Jason pulled Carl in for a tight hug which the boy accepted and reciprocated. He rubbed Carl's back and let the teen cry out the remaining tears. He just needed some comfort before they faced whatever Terminus had in store for them.

"We're a family." Michonne commented, placing a hand on each of them. "We look out for each other."

Rick observed the exchange from afar. He would have to remember to thank Michonne and Jason for being the friends that Carl needed. Rick understood that some things were just difficult for Carl to talk to him about. It was natural. He glanced back at Terminus. They needed to be ready.

* * *

><p>After ten minutes of digging he had made a decent sized hole. Rick dropped the gun bag into the hole, placing his revolver inside the bag as well. He swapped it for Joe's Smith &amp; Wesson SW1911SC E-Series pistol.<p>

Daryl studied what Rick was doing, his expression told Rick the long haired man was curious.

"Just in case." Rick told him and started burying the bag.

Once the bag was buried they climbed over the fence, one of the few sections that didn't have barbed wire at the top. They all kept their weapons at the ready. Rick with the Smith & Wesson handgun, Carl with his Beretta, Jason with his Operator, Daryl with his crossbow and Michonne with her sword. They quickly darted across the train tracks towards a white door that had been left wide open.

They opened the door and quietly slipped in. They could hear a woman's voice.

"Follow the tracks to the point where all lines intersect."

Daryl glanced through the next doorway to find an older woman at a radio station complete with microphone.

"There are maps at the crossings to help guide you with your journey."

Looking at the rest of the large building they could spot a small group of people painting new signs.

"Sanctuary for all. Community for all."

The group decided to step into the room, keeping their weapons at the ready.

"Terminus. Sanctuary for all. Community for all. Those who arrive survive."

"Hello." Rick announced, getting the woman's attention before turning to the rest of the people in the room. "Hello!"

They all turned. One of the men in the middle, a young man not much older than Jason, dropped a paint brush and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well, I bet Albert is on perimeter watch." He commented to the rest of them.

The man stepped forward towards the group of five newcomers. Jason wasn't sure he felt comfortable. No one there appeared to be armed.

"You here to rob us?" The man asked, standing in the centre of the room.

"No." Rick answered flatly. "We wanted to see you before you saw us."

Rick stepped forward and holstered his gun. Carl and Jason did the same.

"Makes sense. Usually we do this where the tracks meet." The man stated, stepping forward and clearing his throat. "Welcome to Terminus."

Rick and the others stared at him in silence.

"I'm Gareth." The man introduced himself. "Looks like you've been on the road for a good bit."

Rick nodded. "We have."

He decided to introduce the group.

"Rick. That's Carl, Jason, Daryl, and Michonne."

Gareth waved to them with a smile.

Silence.

"You're nervous, I get it. We were all the same way." Gareth said, stepping forward with a smile. "We came here for sanctuary. That what you're here for?"

Rick nodded. "Yes."

"Good. You found it." Gareth answered. "Hey Alex!"

Another dark haired man walked up to them. Jason reckoned they were brothers.

"This is nothing like the front. We've got nothing to hide but the welcome wagon is a whole lot nicer." Gareth explained, still smiling. "Alex will take you, ask you a few questions."

His smile faded as he became more serious.

"But first, we need to see everyone's weapons." Gareth told them. "If you could just lay them down in front of you."

Rick turned his head to the others. All of them stared back at him, waiting for his decision.

Rick placed his gun on the floor. "Alright."

"I'm sure you understand." Gareth commented.

"Yes I do." Rick replied, looking up at the man as he placed his knife on the floor next to the gun.

Carl put down his Beretta. Michonne put down her sword. Daryl put down his crossbow and knife. Jason put down his Operator handgun and his blade. They all held their arms out as Alex and Gareth began patting them down, checking for weapons hidden in their pockets, clothes or belts.

"I'd hate to see the other guy." Alex commented, observing Daryl's injuries, most notably his black eye.

"You would." Rick added.

Alex started patting down Carl. "They deserve it?"

"Yes." Carl answered.

Rick stared over at Carl. His son agreed with what had happened. Perhaps he wasn't afraid after all.

"Just so you know, we aren't those kind of people but we aren't stupid either." Gareth warned them. "And you shouldn't be stupid enough to try anything stupid."

Jason narrowed his eyes. This was all very good. Very welcoming. There had to be a catch.

"As long as everyone's clear on that we shouldn't have any problems." Gareth finished. "Just solutions. Okay."

Alex held up Michonne's sword, giving it back to her. Michonne narrowed her eyes. This didn't feel right.

Daryl picked up his crossbow before Alex could even touch it. Alex handed Carl back his Beretta, Jason his Operator and knife and Rick his knife and gun as well. Rick studied the man. It seemed strange they were returning their weapons so quickly.

"Follow me." Alex beckoned and led them out of the communications hall.

He opened a door and led them out to the front area. Flowers decorated the area. Picnic tables were set out where people conversed and ate. The smell of cooking meat filling the air courtesy of a barbecue.

"So how long's this place been here?" Daryl asked their guide.

"Since almost the start." Alex answered. "When all the camps got overrun, people started finding this place."

A woman with a gun in the front of her belt tailed behind them.

"I think it was instinct, you know? Follow a path." Alex continued. "Some folks were heading to the coast, others out west or up north, but they all wound up here."

Jason looked around. He expected to see more people. Then again, it was a big place.

The woman at the barbecue greeted them. "Hi. Heard you came in the back door. Smart. You'll fit right in here."

Alex turned to the woman.

"Hey Mary, would you fix each of these new folks a plate for me?" He asked.

"Why do you do it? Why do you let people in?" Michonne questioned the smiling man.

"The more people become a part of us, we get stronger." Alex answered, grabbing a plate. "That's why we put up the signs."

Rick observed their surroundings. One of the people had a large orange rucksack that looked like the one they owned at the prison. Another man was wearing riot gear, very similar to the riot gear they had at the prison.

"Invite people in. It's how we survive."

A woman eating at one of the tables, her hands shaking, wore a poncho that looked identical to the one Daryl used to own at the prison. As Alex handed out the plates to Michonne and Carl, Rick caught sight of the gold metal chain of a pocket watch in Alex's pocket. Could that be the same one Hershel gave to Glenn? This was no coincidence.

Rick marched forward and knocked the plate out of Alex's hand, he snatched the watch out of his pocket and wrapped an arm around his neck, pointing his gun to the man's temple. Daryl aimed at Mary while Carl and Jason aimed at the other people at the picnic tables.

"You freak!" Alex exclaimed in surprise.

Rick studied the watch up close. There was no mistake. It was Hershel's watch.

"Where the hell did you get this watch?" Rick growled.

* * *

><p><em>Rick walked up to Carl who was standing by a table in the prison cell block. He was cleaning out his Beretta. <em>

"_Hey." Rick greeted._

"_Hey." Carl responded, engrossed in putting his gun back together. _

_Rick glanced over at Beth as she held and played with baby Judith. A reminder of Hershel's words._

"_Carl." Rick tried to get his son's attention._

"_Yeah?" Carl responded, still fixing up his gun. _

"_Carl." Rick stated again, stronger this time as Carl finished cleaning his gun. "I need your help with something."_

_Carl loaded his gun and prepared to holster it._

"_Leave it behind." Rick told him._

_Carl stared up at his father, confused. "What?"_

_Rick placed his holster, with his Colt Python inside, on the table. "It'll just get in the way."_

* * *

><p>Jason kept his aim on the people ahead of him. They were outnumbered and outgunned again but for the time being Rick had a hostage. The darkest corners of Jason's mind were working together with his knowledge as a biology student to piece the puzzle together. Freshly cooked meat, stolen items, shaking hands. He feared the conclusion his mind presented him with.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Jason lay back under the covers with Kellin. He stared up at the roof of the tent as Kellin lay his arm lazily over Jason's chest. Kellin kissed his cheek. <em>

"_It can be like this all the time." He told Jason with a sigh._

"_Maybe." Jason answered, turning to him. "But not here."_

_Kellin looked confused. "Why not?"_

"_We need a place that's safe. With thick walls, high fences." Jason explained with a soft smile. "Lots of supplies, plenty of good people. That's what we need."_

"_Do you think we can have that?" Kellin asked, resting his head on Jason's chest. _

"_Yeah, we just need to go looking." Jason answered, stroking Kellin's hair. "We'll find a place where we can be safe and happy together."_

* * *

><p>"Where the hell did you get this watch?" Rick growled again.<p>

"You want answers? You want anything else?" Alex responded nervously. "You get them when you put down the gun."

Rick glanced up at the sniper who had taken aim on the roof above them.

"I see your man on the roof with a sniper rifle." Rick told him, keeping Alex's head between him and the sniper. "How good's his aim? Where'd you get the watch?"

Jason felt sweat trickle down his face. This was going to end in a shootout. He just knew it. Daryl moved his aim from Mary to the people in the main area so that Rick was protected by three weapons.

"Don't do anything! I have this!" Alex shouted to the sniper. "You just put it down! You put it down!"

The sniper did as he was told and put down his rifle.

"You want to listen to me. There's a lot of us." Alex warned.

"Where did you get the watch?" Rick hissed in the man's ear.

"I got it off of a dead one." Alex answered nervously. "I didn't think he'd need it."

Rick didn't believe him. "What about the riot gear? The poncho?"

"Got the riot gear off a dead cop." Gareth answered, his hands out. "Found the poncho on a clothesline."

"Gareth, we can wait." Alex pleaded.

"Shut up, Alex." Gareth spat.

"You talk to me." Rick hissed at Gareth.

Gareth clasped his hands together. "What's there left to say? You don't trust us anymore."

"Gareth." Alex pleaded nervously.

"Shut up." Gareth spat back.

"Gareth, please." Alex pleaded, terrified.

"It's okay." Gareth answered. He had already accepted the violent climax that this standoff was bound to have. "Rick, what do you want?"

"Where are our people?" Rick growled.

"You didn't answer the question." Gareth retorted and clenched his fist.

Rick spun around and quickly switched positions with Alex as the sniper fired, the bullet going through the man's head and sending his body collapsing to the ground. Those who were unarmed ran away as gunfire broke out. Carl and Jason fired back at the other people, forcing them to take cover. Rick fired some shots at the same people.

"Carl!" He yelled over the gunfire. "Get down now!"

Rick led them away in an attempt to run round the corner but someone on the roof shot at them, bullets raining down in front of them. Daryl led them back into the main area, running towards the doors at the far end. Gunshots rained down behind them and then around them, forcing them into the garage.

They ran towards the door at the end of the garage but it was closed before they could reach it, the metal shutter hitting the ground with a loud, echoing thud. Daryl spotted an old iron gate.

"Here!" He called and led them to it but it wouldn't move.

Rick pointed out a door marked "A" and ran for it with the others following him. They ran back outside into a different alleyway with large boxes, abandoned cars and lots of bullet holes riddling the walls and objects that lay around. Bullets continued to rain down on the ground behind them and to their side. They tried to run straight ahead but a torrent of bullets from an AK74 assaulted the concrete in front of them, forcing the group to take a right turn. Rick fired two shots at the man on the roof with the AK74 before rushing after the others.

The group ran past large cages, the floors of which were littered with human bones and other rotting remains. They ran past a large train cart. Cries for help were calling from inside as they banged on the walls of the cart.

"What the hell?!" Daryl shouted in confusion. People were being contained inside the carts.

"Keep going!" Rick bellowed as they ran through another doorway also marked "A".

Michonne opened the door and led them into a candle lit room. Candles, belongings, small statues, flowers and other such objects were organised around the room. It was a circular formation with names written around the circle, each set of candles and belongings set next to the names like gravestones.

"What the hell is this place?" Daryl pondered aloud.

"These people, I don't think they're trying to kill us." Michonne pointed out.

"No, they were aiming at our feet." Rick commented.

On the walls a message was written in large block lettering.

NEVER AGAIN. NEVER TRUST. WE FIRST. ALWAYS.

"I think they want to eat us." Jason revealed his dark conclusion. "I think they're cannibals."

"There!" Rick pointed out a door and rushed for it but someone closed it before he could reach it.

"There!" Daryl pointed out another door marked "A".

"Go!" Rick bellowed as they ran for the door and made their way through it.

They ran into another storm of bullets that forced them out into the open and back towards the fence that they originally climbed over. As they ran for it several armed people popped up from behind it, their assault rifles aimed at the group. Jason aimed at them out of instinct. Rick looked around. There was no escape. Assault rifles in front and snipers above. They were cornered. Jason slowly lowered his gun, breathing heavily. Outgunned and outnumbered yet again.

Jason backed up towards Carl in an effort to shield him from any gunfire that may come. His rational side told him it wouldn't make a difference but his instincts moved his body for him.

Rick looked round at Carl's terrified face, panting from fear and exertion. Michonne, Daryl and Jason all had grim expressions. This truly was the end of the line. They were trapped like the rabbit in Rick's snare.

"Drop your weapons! Now!" Gareth called from one of the rooftops. "Now!"

They all did as they were told. Daryl dropped his crossbow and knife to the floor. Michonne dropped her sword. Rick dropped his gun and his knife. Carl dropped his Beretta. Jason dropped his Operator and his blade. All of them except for Carl glared up at Gareth.

"And the bag! Drop it!" Gareth shouted to Jason who reluctantly unstrapped his backpack and dropped it to the ground.

"Ringleader! Go to your left!" Gareth commanded. "The train car, go!"

Rick looked to his left at the large train car marked "A". He didn't move.

"You do what we say, the boy goes with you." Gareth told him. "Anything else, he dies and you end up in there anyway!"

Rick looked into his son's eyes and then into Jason's. He had no choice. At least Jason was standing close to Carl in case something happened. Rick made his way over to the train car.

"Now the archer." Gareth called.

Daryl started walking.

"Now the samurai." Gareth called out.

Michonne also started walking.

Jason glared up at Gareth. They were powerless. Their lives were in Gareth's hands.

"Now the aviator." Gareth ordered.

"It'll be okay. I promise." Jason whispered to Carl before making his own way over to the train car. He didn't believe his own words.

"Stand at the door, ringleader, archer, samurai, aviator, in that order." Gareth ordered.

They all did as they were told, all looking over at Carl who was frozen in place with fear. Why wasn't he being allowed to join them? Were they going to kill him as punishment?

"My son!" Rick demanded loudly.

Carl looked down and closed his eyes. He waited for the gunshot. It didn't come.

"Go, kid." Gareth called out.

Carl walked over towards the others. Both Rick and Jason let out a sigh of relief.

"Ringleader, open the door and go in!" Gareth ordered loudly.

"I'll go in with him!" Rick argued, trying to ensure Carl's safety.

"Don't make us kill him now!" Gareth threatened.

Carl walked over to them slowly, his hands down by his sides. Jason kept one foot pivoted on the spot in case he needed to rush towards Carl. Rick growled and walked up the steps and opened the door of the train car. He stepped in as he was told, followed by Daryl, Michonne, Jason and finally Carl.

Rick embraced Carl as he entered the train car while the door closed behind them. They looked at the walls and roof of the car. No way out. It was dark. A dull sound echoed from the other end of the train car. They all turned towards the noise.

"Rick?" A voice questioned.

Out of the darkness came a young Asian man. Behind him were three white women, one black woman, and one black man, a young man with a mullet haircut and a muscular red haired man. Rick recognised most of them instantly, as did Michonne, Carl and Daryl.

Glenn, Maggie, Bob and Sasha were standing in front of them in the train car.

"You're here." Rick stated with relief and new found confidence. "You're hear."

The other unidentified members of the group stepped forward. Rick looked at them with narrow eyes, not sure what to make of them.

Maggie noticed his suspicion. "They're our friends. They helped save us."

"Yeah? Now they're friends of ours." Daryl stated much like he had with Jason that morning.

"For however long that'll be." The muscular man, Abraham, commented pessimistically.

"No." Rick countered confidently.

* * *

><p><em>Rick, Carl and Hershel were outside digging up the prison courtyard as Beth came along with Judith in her arms. Carl was struggling to get any purchase with his shovel so Rick walked over to him to help him. <em>

"_Put it in at more of an angle." He instructed the boy. _

_Carl did as he was told and was more successful. The sudden movement and new angle caused his hat to fall off onto the ground. Rick picked it up and dusted it off. _

"_Gonna have to get you a farming hat." Rick joked, placing the hat on Beth's head. "There's a new sheriff in town."_

_They all laughed happily at the silliness of the situation and how much Beth suited Carl's sheriff hat. Hershel tossed Rick some gloves. _

"_It can be like this all the time." Hershel told him. _

"_It's like this now." Rick replied, putting on the gloves. "That's enough."_

* * *

><p>Rick studied everyone in the train car with him and walked over to the door to peer out the gap. He had his friends back. The same people who fought with him through everything from before. People he trusted with his life. They were family. They had new faces with them now. New friends. They all had the same connection and same goal.<p>

"They're gonna feel pretty stupid when they find out." Rick declared confidently.

"Find out what?" Abraham asked him.

Everyone looked at Rick. They were trapped in a train car. They were outnumbered and outgunned by an entire army of cannibals. There wasn't much hope to be had yet Rick was surprisingly firm and confident. Rick turned to them all.

"They're fucking with the wrong people!"

* * *

><p><strong>Longest chapter yet! Longer than I had intended but I wanted to get all of this stuff in one chapter because the next one will probably be just as long. The Terminus escape should have a different twist to it now that Jason is in the mix and is willing to kill to protect the people he considers to be family. <strong>

**Thanks for all the Kudos/favourites/follows/bookmarks/subscriptions etc. **

**Thanks to my reviewers of chapter 7: rk0192, vmbaby, AmbroseViolence & yheagrl. Sorry for making you cry at the end of chapter 7. **

**As per, leave a review and let me know what you think. Terminus doesn't know what they are in for!**


	9. No Sanctuary

**NO SANCTUARY**

"They're fucking with the wrong people!"

That had been Rick's confident declaration upon realising that the surviving members of his group were in the train car with him. Jason didn't know who these people were but if they were anything like Rick then they had a fighting chance of escaping. A chance, Jason reminded himself. They didn't have their weapons and they were locked up in a train car surrounded by armed men. Any escape would require a lot of luck for it to work but it looked like Rick was determined enough to make it happen.

As the light in the sky had faded to give way to the night time darkness, everyone in the group had been thoroughly introduced. Jason observed them as he leaned against one of the walls of the train car. The black couple were Bob and Sasha, they had lived in the prison with Rick and the others before the Governor attacked it with a tank. The Asian man, Glenn, had been with Rick since the very beginning and was married to the attractive young woman, Maggie. Jason had found out from Carl that Maggie was the eldest daughter of Hershel. The girl who appeared to be around the same age as Jason was Tara. Glenn had explained that she had saved his life on his way to Terminus. She didn't look very capable in Jason's eyes but looks could be deceiving. The other young woman was Rosita, she appeared to be the team medic of her little group. The larger man with the mullet was Eugene, he was a scientist who knew how to stop the walker infection. Jason couldn't believe his ears when he had been told that. Eugene had to be taken to Washington DC for that to happen and that was the mission of Rosita and Abraham. Abraham, the muscular, red haired man with the handle bar moustache was a sergeant in the army and appeared to be very rough around the edges.

Jason came out of his thoughts to listen in on the conversation taking place in front of him. Abraham was explaining to Rick what had happened when they reached Terminus. He had arrived with Eugene, Rosita, Glenn, Maggie, Bob and Sasha.

"They seemed nice enough but I was ready to go. I know we just got here but damn, it was time to go." Abraham explained. "When I told them about DC, wink and a nod from the head asshole in charge and they pulled the guns out and we were right back to our regularly scheduled shitstorm."

"Did you fight back?" Rick asked flatly.

"Would have but I couldn't risk Eugene's safety." Abraham answered. "We had no choice but to surrender."

Rick nodded, accepting the answer.

Sasha and Michonne appeared to be talking on the other end of the train car.

"Before they put you in here, you didn't see Tyreese?" Sasha asked. Tyreese was her older brother who was also missing since the prison attack.

"No." Michonne answered, shaking her head.

Sasha let out a weak smile. "Good."

Maggie approached Rick and Daryl. "What about Beth? Is she…?"

Daryl shook his head. "No, she's alive."

"Where is she?" Maggie asked, confused.

"She's gone. Taken." Daryl answered. "Black car with a white cross painted on it. I tried to follow it. I tried."

"But she's alive?" Maggie confirmed, taking in the information that her younger sister had been kidnapped.

"She's alive." Daryl confirmed for her.

Once the individual conversations had died down Jason decided to ask the all-important question.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked Rick, who had an air of confidence about him.

They all turned to face Rick, staring at the man intently looking for an answer. He was the most confident one there so he must have a plan that would allow him to be that confident. It made a difference that they all knew each other as the people of Terminus could never have predicted that to happen.

"We use what we have to make weapons." Rick told them. "There's wood in here, we can break it and sharpen it. Make blades."

The all looked around and it was true. There was plenty of wood that could be sharpened to a point and used to stab or slash.

"When they come in to get us, we kill them and take their weapons." Rick told them. "We fight our way out."

"I'm not comfortable with leading Eugene into a hailstorm of bullets." Abraham argued. "His safety is top priority."

"If you stay here he will die." Rick countered. "At least with my way he has a chance of surviving. We all do."

Rick looked around at them. "Use what you have and make weapons. We have till morning."

"We should all try to get some sleep too." Glenn added. "We're going to need the energy."

Rick nodded, accepting the addition to the plan before looking through the gaps in the wall out at Terminus. Jason observed as Rick went between the gaps in the wall, pacing up and down the train car as he methodically started studying the movements of the people outside. Jason yawned as he watched him pacing and remembered that apart from Carl, none of them had slept because of the attack from Joe and his group. Rick was full of energy and adrenaline but he needed to be strong when they attempted their escape. Jason approached him.

"Rick?" He asked, lowering his voice so as to not wake some of the others who were now sleeping.

"Yeah?" Rick answered, still looking out the gaps.

"You should get some sleep." Jason told the man, earning him a quick glare. "You need to be strong in the morning."

"I'm fine." Rick answered. "You sleep."

Jason didn't want to annoy the man but he knew he was in the right this time so he put his foot down.

"I will." Jason answered. "But you first. We're all going to need you."

Rick stared at him. The young man obviously wasn't going to leave him be. He knew he hadn't slept but he felt a responsibility to study the night time routine of the people in Terminus. Rick hoped it would help them in the morning though it was also true that he would need to be fully awake and ready. Finally, he nodded.

"I'll wake you in a couple hours." Jason told him and looked out the gap himself, taking over from Rick.

"Thanks." Rick answered and wandered to the back of the train car to lie down.

Jason looked out one of the gaps. He could see some of the Terminus group patrolling the rooftops, probably as a vantage point so they could spot anyone or anything coming their way at night. They would need a miracle to get out of this place alive. Jason admitted that Rick was right, it was better to try than to give up. Somebody approached him from out of the darkness and stood beside him, their distinct sheriff's hat a dead giveaway to their identity.

"Hey Carl." Jason greeted, his voice low.

"Can I ask you something?" Carl asked, skipping any greeting.

"Sure." Jason answered, turning his attention to the teen.

"Why are you so calm?" Carl asked, his eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked. He knew what Carl meant.

"Well, you don't look nervous, or scared." Carl answered. "Everyone else does."

"I am though." Jason replied. "I just don't show it."

"Why not?" Carl asked. Jason sighed, this was another interrogation.

"I often hide my feelings from people." Jason told the teen. "I don't always tell people what I think or feel."

"Well, why not?" Carl continued.

"It depends. Sometimes it's not the best time." Jason explained. "Other times it can be a distraction or a mistake."

"So why's now not the best time?" Carl asked. They were all afraid. What harm was there in admitting that?

Jason sighed and smiled softly. Carl was too pure for his own good sometimes.

"Because we need to keep the group strong, confident even." Jason explained. "Make sure they fight as hard as they can to get out of here."

Carl nodded and thought for a moment. "Does this mean there are things you haven't told me?"

Jason cocked his head to the side like a confused puppy. "What sort of things?"

Carl hesitated. He was thankful it was so dark in the train car.

"You know, thoughts on things… feelings?" Carl asked, completely unsure on how to word his question without sounding weird.

Jason stayed silent for a moment. He was trying to make sense of Carl's questions. Was he asking what he thought he was asking? He could ask to find out but that would get awkward fast if he was wrong. Jason then remembered another important detail. _Rick was a few feet away_. He couldn't risk saying or doing the wrong thing. Last thing he needed was Rick tearing him apart.

"No. I don't hide things from you." Jason answered finally with a forced smile.

Carl's face fell as he looked down at the floor of the train car. He had probably just said something very stupid to Jason. The pause that Jason took to answer told him that. Either he was lying to Carl now or he had been stunned by the question. It was hard to read Jason at the best of times let alone in almost total darkness.

"Are we really going to get out of here?" Carl asked, not looking up.

Jason placed both his hands on Carl's shoulders and rubbed them softly. Carl looked up at him as their eyes met.

"Hey, we're going to get out of this just fine." Jason told the teen with a reassuring smile. "Have faith in your dad and your friends here."

Carl nodded and smiled weakly. He didn't believe Jason but there wasn't much else he could do but hope.

"Get some sleep." Jason told the boy. "In the morning we'll make our weapons and fight back."

Carl nodded and did as he was told. He retreated to the far end of the train car where Michonne was as Jason continued looking out the gaps. From the darkness, Rick observed their exchange before allowing himself a couple hours of rest.

* * *

><p><em>Jason could hear shouting from the other street. Violent, aggressive shouting. He was on his way to meet up with Kellin for a day out, the plan was to go to the cinema and then to the lake. It was a nice day too, sunny but not too warm. Birds would normally be chirping in the trees above him but the violent shouts had scared them all off. As he drew closer to the street he could make out what the voices were shouting.<em>

"_Fucking faggot!"_

"_Get up! Need you on your knees to suck my dick!"_

_Even the laughter was violent to Jason's ears. There were small gangs of older teens who would go round the area picking fights. They were xenophobia with legs as far as Jason was concerned. A gay guy was obviously their target today. Fortunately for Jason, his bisexuality was largely a secret so these gangs would often pass him by without incident. _

_Jason rounded the corner and felt the breath leave his lungs. There were three of the xenophobic youths and they were standing over a crumpled figure on the floor. Jason recognised the figure, the blue skinny jeans and blonde hair a dead giveaway. They were attacking Kellin. Kellin attempted to stand but was kicked into submission by one of the gang. He cried out in pain, tears rushing down his face to join the blood trickling from his nose. _

_Jason felt his fists clench and rational thought leave him completely. He didn't need to think. He didn't need to consider consequences. His boyfriend was being beaten by a gang of rabid dogs. Dangerous dogs get put down. There were three of them and one of him. He didn't care. He didn't need to. It didn't matter. _

_Jason took out his keys and placed them in between his fingers, clenching the key ring in his fist. In his other fist he grabbed all his spare change and rushed towards the group. The first youth to turn around received a strong punch to the temple, the density of the coins in Jason's fist reinforcing the blow. The youth collapsed to the floor as he suddenly lost consciousness. The other two had spun around to see what was happening but neither had much time to react. The closest youth to Jason received his next punch, which was aimed for the jaw and connected with so much force that they keys in between Jason's fingers pierced through the youth's cheek and into his mouth. The boy dropped to the floor, clutching his face as he howled in pain, blood pouring from the three stab wounds to his face. Jason dropped the blooded keys to the floor and towered over the third and final youth, the one who had been beating Kellin. They were of equal height but Jason's violent entrance made him into a tower. He could feel the fear rushing through the youth. The terror in his eyes told Jason everything. The boy was nothing more than a coward. A bully. Like the ones that had ruined his own childhood. _

_Jason growled and swung a punch at the final youth with enough force to knock him off his feet. He jumped onto the youth, his knees on the boy's chest as he angrily slammed punch after punch into the boy's face. How dare he hurt Kellin. How dare he ruin their day. How dare he. The youth had fallen unconscious from the trauma of the punches, his face swollen and bleeding but Jason continued to punch him. His arms were numb. His fists were bleeding, his knuckles split open but he didn't feel it. He didn't care. This was punishment. He was going to put this rabid dog down. Somewhere through the fog of fury that had clouded his mind he could hear someone calling his name. Jason could swear that someone was trying to stop him. Someone was trying to grab his arms. Call his name. Pleading with him to stop. Why would anyone want to save this filth beneath him? _

_Suddenly a pair of arms were wrapped around his body and were pulling him off the beaten and blooded youth. Once he was off the boy and had stopped swinging his arms he could feel the arms around him squeeze him tightly. A face was resting on his back. Kellin. _

"_Jason, stop. Stop." Kellin repeated in his ear. "Come back to me."_

_Jason realised he had let his rage take over. No thought had gone into it and as a result he had completely forgotten to even check on Kellin. He looked at the damage he had caused. One youth unconscious on the floor. The other lying on the floor, clutching his bleeding face. The third and final youth lay back on the floor, his face beaten into a blooded mess, his rising and falling chest the only sign that he was still alive. Jason felt his legs shake as they gave way and he slumped to the ground, his descent slowed by Kellin holding onto him. _

"_Jason." Kellin called softly into his ear. "Talk to me, pumpkin."_

_Jason felt his hands shaking as he raised one to his forehead, closing his eyes as guilt and regret fired through him. He had almost killed these three teenagers because they gave Kellin a bloody nose and had made him cry. Was that justified? Jason felt like he had totally overreacted. He'd be lucky if he didn't end up in jail. _

_The arms around him squeezed again as a soft kiss was placed to the back of his neck. Kellin was still trying to get through to him. Jason wanted to answer but he couldn't find the words. _

"_Jason, baby, please." Kellin continued softly, his tone laced with worry. "Jason."_

* * *

><p>"Jason. Jason!" A voice called out, waking him from his thoughts. "Get up, come on."<p>

Jason opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Metal. Wood. Darkness. The sound of people talking. The sound of wood being splintered. Carl was in front of him, still leaning over him after having shaken him awake. They were trapped in Terminus. Jason nodded and looked around for his bag. It wasn't there. That's when it came back to him, the Terminus group had his bag. _Bastards_.

Jason looked around to see all of the others hard at work creating wooden weapons. Others were using parts of their clothing, such as belts and belt buckles to make sharpened weapons they could wrap round their hands or put in between their fingers. Rick was using Hershel's pocket watch to shave off some wood and carve it into a sharpened point. Michonne was using her belt to strap two long wooden stakes to both ends of her scabbard. Abraham had managed to insert a wooden stake into the middle of one of his fingerless gloves. He was impressed by the creativity of the group.

Carl was trying to carve some wood into a sharpened point with another bit of wood but was struggling. Jason sat down beside him and took it from the young teen. He started carving it for Carl, making more progress because he was physically stronger. Carl didn't look too pleased at having yet another thing be done for him, which Jason noticed.

"Some things require brute force." Jason told him with a low voice. "And we don't have time to spare."

He finished carving it into a sharp point and handed it back to the boy with a soft smile. Jason could tell that Carl was wondering why he wasn't making anything for himself but he wasn't prepared to have that discussion. Before Carl could speak, Jason made his way over to Rick.

"Rick, can we talk for a second?" Jason asked, having waited until the former cop had finished sharpening his wooden stake.

"Make it quick." Rick answered, turning to him.

"I didn't mention it last night but I managed to slip in a couple things." Jason told the group leader. "I trust you to have one of them."

Rick narrowed his eyes with curiosity but also with a silent command for Jason to hurry up.

Jason sat down on the floor of the train car and took off one of his boots. He reached inside it and pulled at something. Rick could hear the sound of tape being ripped off before Jason's hand revealed itself once again. In the young man's hand, one side covered in tape, was a switchblade. Jason pulled the tape off and handed it to Rick.

"They never checked our shoes." Jason told him with a confident smile. "Best keep it hidden until you really need it."

Rick nodded, his eyebrows raised in surprise and appreciation for the slightly strange but undoubtedly helpful forward thinking of the young man.

"Thank you." He answered and slipped the switchblade into his sock.

Jason put his boot back on before removing the other one to retrieve the second switchblade. He too placed it inside his sock and covered it over with his cargos. He put the other boot back on and picked up some small wooden strips from the floor. They weren't particularly sharp but they could fit in between his fingers to add extra damage to his punches. If in doubt he had the blade as a backup.

Daryl had been keeping watch the whole time, the light streaming in from the gap in the wall illuminating his face.

"Alright!" He called to the group. "Got four of them pricks coming our way!"

Rick grabbed his wooden stake and headed for the door with everyone else.

"You all know what to do." He told them. "Go for their eyes first, then their throats!"

They all stood poised at the door like big cats preparing to pounce. All the various wooden and metal stakes and makeshift daggers were raised and ready. The atmosphere was thick and everyone was tense. This was their only chance.

"Put your backs to the walls on either end of the car." A voice called out. "_Now!_"

Rick glanced back towards Carl. His son was protecting the defenceless scientist, Eugene, while Jason stood slightly to the side but in front of Carl. Anything or anyone that came through the door would have to go through Rick, then Jason before it could get to Carl. Everyone held their positions. They could hear the men approaching the door. They held their breath and prepared to attack.

Suddenly the roof opened up with harsh sunlight streaming in. They looked up in surprise, not having expected an approach from above. A grenade dropped into the train car from the roof, landing on the floor in the centre of their group. The military sergeant, Abraham, knew what it was and instantly called out.

"Move!" He spun away from the grenade and tried to force those closest to him to do the same.

The grenade went off, the sound of the explosion echoing inside the walls of the metal train car making everyone's ears ring violently loud. They were disorientated and dizzy from the sharp and sudden noise. They were further disorientated by the smoke that filled the train car, causing them to cough and wave their arms in an attempt to restore their field of vision but their eyes were watering too much from the dense smoke. They could hear the door of the train car open as men with gas masks stepped inside.

There was a scramble in the smoke as the men chose their victims and grabbed members from the group. They pulled them to the door and through them off the edge so they would crash down on the cement to further daze them. Rick looked around, knowing his wooden stake had been dropped when the grenade went off. A gas mask dropped in front of him as a man with a walkie-talkie stood over him. Upon noticing Rick looking up at him he kicked Rick in the head to knock him out. The door of the train car slammed shut yet again.

* * *

><p>Rick quickly regained consciousness. He could hear grinding accompanied by the sound of something soft and juicy being sliced up. The two sounds repeated over and over as he was hauled into a large room by two men. He opened his eyes and took in the source of the sounds. Two men were standing over a table and were using a grinder to slice up a naked human body. Jason had been right. They were cannibals.<p>

Rick was forced down onto his knees in front of a stainless steel trough. He tried to move but the men had too firm a hold on him and quickly bound his wrists together with plastic zip ties. They did the same with his ankles and forced a gag into his mouth, tying it at the back of his neck. They finally let him go. Rick looked to his left as Daryl was brought in, bravely trying to resist the men but ultimately achieving nothing. Bob was put to Rick's right. Glenn was forced to Daryl's left and then Jason was forced to kneel to the left of Glenn. Four other men were already there, bound and gagged.

Rick looked at the young man at the opposite end of the trough. The blonde hair gave him away instantly. It was the young man, Sam, who he had met when he had gone out on a run with Carol who he later banished from the prison. He was here too and he was terrified. Rick felt sorry for the man but knew he couldn't do anything to save him right away.

Rick turned his head to observe the apron-clad men in the room with them. One was a bald man who was taking practice swings with a metal baseball bat and the other was a young man with a baseball cap who was sharpening a large knife. Rick looked away as the two men made their way over to the far end of the trough where the young man, Sam, was kneeling.

Jason and the others watched on in terror as the bald man swung the baseball bat and struck Sam in the back of the head. Sam instantly slumped forward, either unconscious or dead, before the other man lifted his head and quickly slit his throat. The blood sprayed from the young man's jugular and poured into the trough. The men closest to him started screaming in terror as they tried to break the plastic binds that held their hands and feet together.

The bald man swung again and struck the next man down in the same way. Yet again the second man slit their throat and let them bleed out into the trough. The screams from the other men intensified and Jason realised he'd soon be in line to receive the same treatment. He carefully slipped his fingers into his sock and pulled out the switchblade. He concealed it up his jacket sleeve and started slowly cutting at the plastic zip ties that bound his wrists.

The third man in the line received the baseball bat to the back of his head before having his throat cut open like the others. Jason started panicking as the plastic was proving to be tougher to cut through than he had expected. He couldn't hurry otherwise the men would notice but if he continued at his current pace he would be dead before he could cut through it.

By this point the blood had reached Rick's end of the trough and pooled at the drain as it started to slip down into it. Rick did the same as Jason and pulled out the switchblade slowly and carefully before starting to cut at the plastic. As he did so, Gareth walked into the room with a large notebook.

"Hey guys, what were your shot counts?" He asked the men.

"Thirty-eight!" The bald man answered.

He swung again, striking the man next to Jason before the man with the knife cut his throat open too. The blood drummed on the steel trough as it spurted and splattered out of the dead man's jugular at high pressure. Jason tried to cut faster without being obvious. He was next and he hadn't cut through the plastic yet. He would need to move but it would just get him killed anyway. Gareth had a gun and the men behind him had a baseball bat and a blade. With his wrists and ankles bound, he wouldn't be able to defend himself either. Jason felt the sweat slide down his face. This was it then. This was where he would die. He regretted not spending more time with Carl. He regretted lying to Carl the night before. He regretted having let Rick and the other down. Jason closed his eyes and waited for the baseball bat to hit him. The bald man stood behind Jason and raised his arms back. His swing was ready. He swung at Jason's head.

"Hey!" Gareth called out.

The bald man stopped mid-swing. Jason opened his eyes.

Gareth gestured to the other man. "Your shot count?"

The man's face was warped with guilt. He was also afraid of the authority that Gareth appeared to have. He shook his head and body nervously.

"Crap man, I'm sorry." He confessed. He didn't know his shot count. "It was my first round-up."

"After you're done here go back to your point and count the shells." Gareth told him, disappointed in the man's lack of efficiency. "Kayleigh won't be gathering them until tomorrow."

Gareth returned to writing things down in his notebook.

"Hey!" Bob called out through his gag. "I want to talk to you!"

Gareth pointed at the remaining men lined up at the trough. "Five from A, four from D."

The man with the baseball bat nodded. "Yeah."

Gareth made a note of it in his book.

"Hey you! I'm talking to you!" Bob continued to garble from under the gag.

Gareth lowered the gag. "What?"

"Don't do this. We can fix this." Bob pleaded.

"No, you can't." Gareth answered and reached for the gag again.

"You don't have to do this! We told you there's a way out of all of this." Bob shouted. "You just have to take a chance. We have a man who knows how to stop it. He has a cure. We just need to get him to Washington."

Gareth continued to write in his notebook, showing no interest whatsoever. Rick and Jason were using this opportunity to cut at their binds more.

"You don't have to do this, man." Bob told the man towering over him. "We can put the world back to how it was."

"Can't go back, Bob." Gareth answered and placed the gag back in Bob's mouth.

Gareth closed his book and placed it on the floor as he crouched in front of Rick. He pulled off Rick's gag with both hands. Rick glared at him maliciously.

"Saw you go into the woods with a bag and come out without it." Gareth stated calmly. "Have to pull my spotters back before we go look for it. What was in it?"

Rick remained silent, glaring at the younger man in front of him, as did Daryl and Jason.

"You hid it, right? In case things went bad?" Gareth continued. "_Smart_. Still, we'll find it but it's too dangerous to go out there right now."

Gareth pulled out a long dagger and grabbed Bob by the back of the head, pulling him forward so the dagger was level with the black man's eye. Gareth looked back at Rick.

"What was in it? I'm curious." He questioned. "And it was a _big_ bag."

Rick continued to glare at him in malevolent silence.

"You really gonna let me do this?" Gareth asked him, casting his eyes to Bob.

Rick thought for a moment. He just needed enough time to cut the plastic round his wrists. He was half-way there.

"Let me take you out there." Rick answered. "I'll show you."

"Not gonna happen." Gareth shook his head, smiling. He brought the blade closer to Bob's eye. "This might."

"There's guns in it. AK-47, .44 Magnum, automatic weapons, night scope, there's a compound bow and a machete with a red handle." Rick explained, glaring confidently. "_That's what I'm gonna to use to kill you_."

Gareth smiled, amused at Rick's statement. None of them were going to be leaving alive. All five of them were going to be executed just like the four that already hung over the trough. He sheathed his dagger and put Rick's gag back in his mouth.

"Thanks." Gareth answered, patting his shoulders.

As Gareth stood up Jason started laughing through his gag. His laugh only increased in strength as his whole body shook with it. The movements and volume brought attention to him but also allowed him to cut the plastic faster now that his whole body was moving. Gareth sighed and pulled the gag off him.

"Was there a joke we didn't hear?" Gareth asked him, glaring.

Jason calmed his laughter and nodded. "You're going to eat us, right? As much of us as you can?"

Gareth smiled, his expression losing its earlier aggression.

"You're either the butcher or the cattle." He answered. "That's how it works nowadays."

Jason laughed some more. He had almost cut through the binds.

"Then you're all fucked. Totally fucked!" Jason declared with a grin, barely containing his laughter. "Karma's gonna be a total bitch to you guys!"

"And why's that, Jason?" Gareth answered. He was bored and not impressed with the attitude being displayed by the younger man.

"Kuru disease. Only contracted through cannibalism." Jason answered with a malicious grin. "Kills you within a year."

Gareth smiled with amusement. He could tell Jason had some knowledge of biology but what the younger man was unaware of was that Gareth did too. He also knew that Kuru disease was only possible if they ate human brains. Terminus didn't eat brains, only the body for that specific reason. He placed the gag back in Jason's mouth and addressed the two executioners behind them.

"You have two hours to get them on the driers then we go back to public face." Gareth told them. "I know now's the time that gets messy but we need to dial it all in by sundown."

"Got it." The cap wearing man answered.

"Yes sir." Replied the bald man.

Jason smirked under the gag. His wrists were free and he was now working on his ankles, still keeping his hands together to avoid suspicion. He could defend himself now. Jason assumed Rick would be much the same at this point.

Suddenly two gunshots echoed from outside. The sound was similar to that of a high powered rifle. Gareth took out his walkie-talkie.

"Hey, Chuck?" He asked but received only static.

Another sound rang out, similar to a firework blasting off from the ground. Suddenly they were knocked off balance by a massive explosion that shook the building. Those who had been standing were almost knocked over by the shockwave while Rick and the others had been knocked over completely.

As they were now lying on their backs, Jason and Rick had the perfect opportunity to finish cutting their binds. The other men stood back up. The walkie-talkie was filled with panic and confusion on the radio channel.

"You stay here." Gareth said to the two executioners.

"These guys aren't going anywhere." The bald man retorted.

"Stay here until I know what's happening!" Gareth bellowed back and ran out of the room.

"So we just sit here?" The blade wielder asked in confusion.

Rick and Jason had just about cut through the last of their plastic binds.

"We've got a job to do." The bald man answered with a shrug.

The man with the blade picked up his walkie-talkie. "You there, Gareth?"

"He's busy." The bald man told him.

"You smell the smoke? You hear the shots? He could be dead!" The man shouted back. "The hell we doing here? The whole place could be going up!"

The bald man walked up to the other.

"He went on one round up and blew protocol. We don't deal with security, that ain't our job, this is." The bald man told him.

The other man stormed over to the table, muttering and cursing his workmate under his breath.

"Hey! Look at me!" The bald man called to him.

"What?" The other turned around.

Jason sprang up from behind the bald man, arms and legs free and his switchblade in his hand. He thrust it into the back of the man's neck and knocked him to the ground, stabbing him repeatedly in the neck and back until he lay in a pool of blood. Rick charged forward towards the other man, pushing him against the table as he tried to beg for his life before thrusting the switchblade into his throat and then his stomach. Rick let the man fall to the ground and turned to Jason who had stopped his attack as well.

Rick glanced at the table with the naked body on it and recognised it as Alex, their Terminus guide until the sniper accidentally shot him. He returned to the others as Jason had just cut Daryl free. They had to move fast.

* * *

><p>The smell of rotting flesh filled the train car as the sounds of gunfire and screams echoed around them. From inside the train car there was no way of knowing what was happening as vision was extremely restricted by the gaps in the walls.<p>

Abraham slammed his fists against the door. "What the hell is going on?"

"Someone hit them." Rosita deduced quickly.

"Maybe our people got free." Sasha suggested, trying to make sense of it.

"Excuse me." Eugene said as he barged between Sasha and Tara to crouch down by the door. He had a couple bits of metal from the grenade that had gone off earlier and started wedging them into the door.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rosita asked him in confusion.

"I might be able to use this shell to compromise the door." Eugene answered. "From the sound of things there might not be anybody left to open it."

Tara sighed in exasperation. "Eugene, I'm sorry but shut up."

"Okay." Eugene replied timidly and continued fiddling with the door frame.

Carl could hear the doubt in the voices of the new group members. They assumed that all hell was breaking loose outside and that Daryl, Glenn, Bob, Jason and his dad were all dead. He knew that couldn't be possible. He didn't even dare consider that possibility. Rosita was probably right. Someone was attacking them and they needed to be ready for any opportunities.

"Hey! My dad's going to be back." Carl told them confidently. "They all are."

Maggie stood beside him. She had been with the group for over a year and she knew that Rick, Daryl and her husband, Glenn, were very tough and very resourceful.

"They are and we need to be ready to fight our way out when they do." She told them.

The others accepted the confidence shown by Carl and Maggie and returned to crafting new weapons to use should they escape. Looking out the gaps, Michonne couldn't help but smirk. Walkers were everywhere which meant Terminus was in a serious condition.

* * *

><p>"They got problems, we've got a chance." Rick told them once they were all free.<p>

"Sounded like a bomb!" Glenn commented.

"Sounds like a damn war!" Daryl commented, the gunshots echoing all around them.

They started grabbing weapons from the table. Rick took a large knife while Jason took a machete. Daryl grabbed a knife as well while Glenn took the baseball bat. Bob also took a large knife.

"What the hell are these people?" Bob asked aloud in shock.

"They ain't people." Daryl answered.

Bob grabbed a large pipe and prepared himself to stab the dead men in the head to prevent reanimation but Rick stopped him.

"Don't." Rick told him. "Let them turn."

The five men entered the next room which had human body parts in large trays, a variety of cutting tools and weapons along with skinned human torsos hanging from the ceiling from hooks. It was just like a butcher's meat locker. They had been doing this to a lot of people over many months. That was becoming clear to the group.

"Cross any of these people you kill them." Rick told the others. "Don't hesitate. _They won't_."

Daryl broke a pipe off one of the machines so he could duel wield it along with the large knife he already had. They made their way to the door and looked through the window. A small group of walkers were clawing at the walls of one of the containers, shouts and screams echoing from inside. There was a clear path past the container because the walkers were all focused on the container.

"If we run we can get by them." Rick told them. "They're distracted."

"We've got to let those people out." Glenn stated.

Rick glared at him. They didn't have time for that. The people inside could be dangerous or could be a liability. The important thing was rescuing their own people and getting out of Terminus before the walker population became too dense or the place burned to the ground.

"That's still who we are." Glenn glared back. "It's gotta be."

Rick glared as he thought about it. Glenn was right. Leaving the people in the containers would make them no better than the people who put them in there in the first place. He nodded and opened the door.

They all spread out and rushed towards the walkers who had turned their attention towards the advancing men. Rick stabbed one in the head, Glenn smacked another with the bat, Bob decapitated one, Daryl stabbed another in the head and Jason split the last walker's head in two with his machete. Glenn quickly opened the door releasing the man inside.

The man had dirty clothes, tattoos and long brown hair. He screamed and shouted as he ran out of the container, grabbing Glenn by the shoulders.

"We're the same!" He shouted.

Glenn pushed him off so he latched onto Rick.

"We're the same!" He laughed. This man was completely divorced from reality.

"Back off!" Rick growled, pushing him back.

The man continued to laugh, completely crazed from his confinement and too far detached from reality to notice the walker come up from his left. The walker, once a woman, pounced on him and bit into his shoulder as they both fell to the ground. Glenn rushed forward to kill the walker with the baseball bat but he was too focused on that to hear the chorus of walker moans and snarls coming towards them. Daryl grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pinned him against the container wall just as the large walker group came into view.

There were walkers on one side of the street and a group of armed people on the other side. There was no way through. Bob looked back at the door they came from which was still clear of any dangers or obstacles.

"We should double back." He suggested.

"No, if we go back we don't know where we are." Rick retorted.

"We don't really have a choice, do we?" Daryl asked, observing the situation.

The gunshots that sounded around them got louder. The walkers at the front of the group dropped to the ground as the bullets blew their brains out. The armed group were marching down the street towards the advancing walkers, shooting and killing them as they went with assault rifles. If they were to make any progress they needed guns. An idea came to Rick's mind.

"Just wait here." He told the others, clutching his knife and rushing off, the others trying to stop him.

Rick ran over to the abandoned police car that lay in the street and crouched behind it. He was dangerously close to the battle between the people of Terminus and the advancing herd of undead. Rick used the broken wing mirror of the police car which lay on the ground to observe the advancing group. The mix of men and women marched forward, firing their assault rifles at the undead without losing their pace.

Suddenly Rick heard a snarl behind him and turned to see the face of a walker, mouth open, teeth bared as it prepared to bite him. Before Rick could react, the walker's face exploded as Daryl's pipe was smashed through it, having been thrust through the skull from behind. The body dropped silently to the ground. Both men shared a nod and looked back to the armed group. The advancing armed group were too focused on the undead to notice the men crouched behind the police car. Five people marched past, firing their weapons. A few feet behind was the last member of the group, an older man. Rick made his move.

Rick quietly rushed up to the man and stabbed him in the neck. The man cried out but his scream was muffled by his gun firing along with the noise of other gunshots and the undead snarls. Rick let the man fall to the floor as he bled out and took the Narinco Type 56 assault rifle from the man. He quickly aimed and fired into the backs of the other five armed Terminus members, taking special care not to kill them so they would be left for the walkers. Rick heard a gun click and spun around in time to see another man aim a Beretta back at him. Before he could pull the trigger, Jason's machete sliced into the man's shoulder, causing him to howl out in agony and shock. Jason continued to hack into the man until he stopped moving. He looked up from the gory mess and gave Rick a nod.

Rick checked to make sure no one else was aiming at them before picking up the last man's Beretta off the ground. As the five other people screamed in pain and terror as the walkers devoured them, Rick, Jason and Daryl headed back to the container where Glenn and Bob were waiting.

"We don't have to double back." Rick told them, handing the Beretta to Bob.

* * *

><p>Outside the train car, the horde of undead was growing in number with one particular walker clawing at the door. Inside, Michonne was reinforcing her new weapon as were the others. Eugene continued to tinker with the shell at the base of the door. Carl sat next to Michonne, having not left her side much since his dad and Jason were taken.<p>

"I hope they're okay." Carl whispered to her, so the rest of the group wouldn't hear his doubt.

Michonne narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. "They are."

Carl didn't look up from the stake he was carving. Michonne grabbed his shoulder gently.

"They _are_." She stressed.

Carl didn't talk about it but his mind continued to cast itself back to the previous night. Asking Jason about how often and why he conceals his feelings had been a revelation to Carl. He couldn't shake the feeling that Jason had lied to him and the idea that he had sent Carl's mind into a torrent of thoughts. All the different possible explanations for why he would lie in that moment. Did he care more than he let on? Did he care less than he appeared to? Was he protecting Carl from some dark secret or was he simply afraid of the truth? Carl silently prayed that they would all be reunited so he could confront Jason about it.

"What's the cure, Eugene?" Sasha asked out of the blue, staring at the man.

"It's classified." Eugene answered without looking up from what he was doing.

"We don't know what's gonna happen." Michonne commented.

The world they knew was gone. No signs of there being any authority, any government and they were currently locked in a train car by armed cannibals whose home was being swarmed by walkers. The idea of top government secrets was outdated.

"You leave him be." Abraham defended. As a soldier he still had respect for the chain of command.

"We need to keep working." Maggie told them, knowing that every second was crucial for their chances of escape.

"Yeah but it's time to hear it." Sasha countered, glaring at Eugene. She needed to know why so many people had died and how to put it right. "'cause we don't know what's coming next."

"What's next is that we get out of this." Tara answered her with confidence.

"Even if I told you all, even if I provided step by step instructions, complete with illustrations and a well composed FAQ on how went red ring." Eugene answered them. "The cure would still die with me."

"I'm not gonna let that happen." Abraham replied, looking up from the stake inserted in his glove.

"The best case scenario we step out into a hell-storm of bullets, fire and walkers." Eugene continued. "I'm not fleet of foot and I sure as hell can't take a dead one down with sharp buttons and hella confidence."

"Yeah but we can and we will." Michonne answered him, observing him as he turned his attention back to the door.

Sasha stood up. "You don't owe us anything. Not yet. But we just wanna hear it."

"You don't have to." Rosita interrupted. They were wasting time.

Eugene stared back at Sasha, it was clear that she wasn't going to stop asking about the cure so he would have to say something. He didn't want to. It went against protocol. He stood up and turned his back to the door.

"I was part of a ten person team at the Human Genome Project for weaponised diseases defied weaponised diseases. Pathogenic microorganisms with pathogenic microorganisms. Fire with fire." Eugene explained. "Interdepartmental drinks were had, relationships made, information shared. I am keenly aware of all the details behind failsafe devices and delivery systems to kill every living person on this planet."

Everyone stared at him, stunned by what he was explaining to them. There were diseases, man-made pathogens that could kill the entire human race. That's what the walkers were the result of. One of these pathogens.

"I believe with a little tweaking on the terminals in DC, we can flip the script." Eugene continued. "Take out every last dead one of them. Fire with fire."

Eugene couldn't help but smirk. "With all things being equal it does sound pretty badass."

"So let's get back to work." Maggie told them, refusing to waste another second talking when they had a warzone to escape from.

Suddenly the door rolled open, causing them all to jump up and ready their weapons. At the entrance to the train car, Rick stood with his assault rifle, revealing the chaos outside. Flames raged everyone and walkers were all around. Behind him, Daryl, Bob, Glenn and Jason were all hacking away at the walkers that drew too close.

"Come on!" Rick shouted. "We fight to the fence!"

"You do not leave his side!" Abraham shouted at Rosita in regards to Eugene.

They all jumped out of the train car and started using their new weapons while Rick fired at the approaching undead. Carl rushed up to him.

"Carl!" Rick greeted his son with a firm grasp of his arm before letting go to continue shooting.

Jason quickly rushed back into the group after decapitating another walker and stayed by Carl's side. Any walkers that got too close received his machete to the head. The whole group moved forward, using their sharpened wooden stakes to stab the walkers in the dead whenever they were in the way or got too close. Abraham used the single stake on his glove to slice open a walker's neck while Maggie and Tara stabbed walkers in the eyes. Daryl kicked one walker against a wall and shoved his metal pipe through the head of another one before swinging it into the face of the walker against the wall, smashing its face. Rosita used her three metal claws to slice at the faces of any walkers that got too close.

They all ran as fast as they could away from the herd behind them that seemed to grow in size continuously. A walker came close to Eugene who skipped away, whimpering in fear before Sasha shot it in the head with the Beretta that Bob gave her. Bob himself used Sasha's wooden stake to stab walkers in the head as they made their way through the herd. Michonne used the sharpened stakes on both ends of her scabbard to kill two walkers at the same time with simple thrusts back and forth.

"Here!" Carl called out, holding a walker by the arms as it tried to bite at him.

The walker's head split in two down the middle as Jason's machete slammed into it, allowing Carl to let go and leave the corpse to collapse to the floor. Jason placed a hand on Carl's back and pushed him ahead, looking out for any more walkers or armed Terminus members.

Rosita rushed over to the fence and stabbed a walker in the eye through the gaps in the chain links. She grabbed a large blanket of thick fabric and tossed it over the top of the fence to prevent anyone being cut by the barbed wire at the top.

"Up and over!" She called.

As they ran to the fence, Rick continued to fire at the approaching walkers in short bursts but he was hardly making a dent. Up on the roof top he spotted Gareth and a couple of his men, guns at the ready. He rapidly aimed up and shot at them wildly, striking Gareth in the shoulder as his men dived for cover.

"Let's go! Move!" Abraham shouted at the others.

"Come on!" Maggie called to Rick as the former cop finally decided to retreat.

They all quickly made their way over the fence, with Abraham being the last one just before the herd reached it, crashing against it in a desperate attempt to grab and consume living flesh. Their groans and snarls deafening to the ears and the smell of their rotten flesh an assault to the senses. Smoke rose into the sky, forming a huge dark cloud as Terminus continued to burn.

The group quickly rushed into the woodland to escape the walkers and hopefully lose their attention. Rick led them back round to where he, Michonne, Carl, Daryl and Jason had first entered Terminus.

"It's right here." Daryl called, unearthing a hidden shovel.

He handed it to Rick who started digging. He was fast and certain.

"The hell we stood around here for?" Abraham asked them impatiently.

"Guns. Some supplies." Rick answered, revealing the buried gun bag. "Go along the fences, use the rifles. Take out the rest of them."

"What?" Glenn asked, shocked at what Rick was saying.

Rick looked up at him. "They don't get to live."

"Rick, we got out." Glenn argued. "It's over."

Rick took out his Colt Python, double checking that it was still loaded.

"It's not over until they're all dead." He retorted.

"The hell it isn't!" Rosita argued. "That place is on fire, full of walkers."

"I'm not sticking around with this crap, we just made it out." Abraham told Rick.

"The fences are down." Maggie argued. "They'll run or die."

Rick glared at them, amazed that they were all standing against him after what had happened to them. Especially at his own people after what happened with the Governor when they failed to finish him. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach that if they didn't finish off the people at Terminus then they would end up regretting it.

"No, Rick's right." Jason defended their leader. "Those people are too dangerous."

"I have to get Eugene to Washington." Abraham countered. "I'm not risking his life just because you want revenge."

"Then go to Washington." Jason hissed as he grabbed a shotgun from the bag.

"What the hell are you doing?" Abraham asked the younger man as he turned their back to them.

"I'm going back in." Jason answered. "Don't wait up."

"To keep Eugene safe we should stay together as a group and go to DC together." Abraham answered. "You're coming with us. Saving the world is more important than revenge."

"It isn't about revenge." Jason retorted. "They've got my bag. I'm going to get it."

"You're going to _what_?" Michonne asked him with a glare.

"That's suicide." Daryl told him, leaning his arm against a tree.

"I'll be fine." Jason answered.

"You're wasting time." Abraham argued. "We need to leave and head to DC."

"So you keep saying!" Jason spat back. "I'm not stopping you!"

"Can't let you go back in there." Rick growled to Jason with a shake of his head.

"You can and you will." Jason stood his ground. "Use the rifles to cover me. I'll be in and out before you know it."

Jason turned and headed for the fence but Carl stood in his way, arms outstretched. He glared up at Jason angrily.

"You're not going alone." Carl told him confidently. "I'm going with you."

"No you're not." Jason countered. "Absolutely not."

"Why not? Because I'm a kid?" Carl asked spitefully. "Because I'm too weak? Because you don't care?"

Jason was taken aback but Carl's remark. How could he possibly infer that it had anything to do with him at all or that Jason didn't care? Jason put his shotgun on the ground and placed both hands on Carl's shoulders. He shook his head.

"It's none of those things, Carl. I don't want you to get hurt." Jason answered. "I can't risk that happening. I care far too much about you to even consider it. I…"

Jason trailed off when he remembered where he was. All the group were watching and listening, most notably Rick. He shook his head and rubbed Carl's shoulders.

"I'll be back. I promise." He told the teen, putting on a smile but he knew it didn't trick Carl in the slightest.

"This is a mistake." Carl told him, voicing his fears. Carl knew if Jason went back in there he wouldn't come back out. They barely made it out as a group.

Jason picked up his shotgun. He stared into Carl's eyes, studying the boy, memorising the look of concern etched on the boy's features.

"I'll explain why I need to do this when I get back." Jason told him. "That's a promise."

Rick walked up to him. "Promise all you like, you're not going back in there."

Jason sighed in exasperation. This wasn't a difficult decision, it wasn't a complicated thing to do. He would rush in, grab his stuff and rush back out. Walkers were slow and the Terminus people would be evacuating the area by now.

Daryl reached into the gun bag and pulled out an assault rifle. He walked up to Jason and stood between him and Rick.

"I'm going with you." He told the younger man.

"You don't have to." Jason answered.

"Wasn't a damn question." Daryl told him, heading to the fence.

"Cover us with the rifles." Jason told the others. "Please. This won't take long."

Daryl climbed the fence and was quickly followed by Jason. As soon as their feet hit the ground they started slashing at the walkers with their bladed weapons, deciding to conserve ammo for the time being. Daryl stabbed the walkers in the eyes and foreheads with his knife while Jason sliced their heads apart with forceful swings of his machete.

The door they had first entered Terminus through was still open allowing them to rush inside and be hidden from the sight of the walker herd that was occupying Terminus. Once they were in the hallway, Jason decided to speak up.

"Thanks for this, seriously." He told Daryl. He was sincere.

"Truth is I want my crossbow back." Daryl told him gruffly, the hint of a smirk forming on the corner of his mouth.

The two of them entered the communications room to see that it was beginning to burn down. Several burning walkers stumbled towards them, forcing the men to use their guns to kill the walkers before they got too close.

Daryl took off running towards the far door, as did Jason as they both knew they were running out of time. The buildings were continuing to burn and the fires were growing more intense by the minute. The fires in turn attracted more walkers providing them with even more danger. Daryl kicked open the door as they entered the front area they had used for the meet and greet. It was also where Rick had figured out that they were lying. Bodies and burning debris littered the ground as the walkers staggered around looking for fresh meat.

The walkers snarled as they caught sight of Daryl and Jason but their post-mortem excitement was short lived as the bullets from Daryl's assault rifle and Jason's shotgun blasted through their fragile skulls. The two men rushed through gaps in the horde as they made their way across the decimated plaza towards one of the doors that had been blocked off when they first arrived. Daryl opened the door only to have a walker charge out of it, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him back. Jason used the handle of his shotgun to strike the walker in the head, staggering it but failing to make it let go. Jason repeatedly smashed the handle of his shotgun into the walker's head until the skull gave way and its grip loosened enough for Daryl to shake it off him. Another walker edged closer from behind them but Jason blasted it back with a chest shot from his shotgun.

Both of them rushed through the door and slammed it behind them. The dark hallway was deserted so they switched to their blades. There wasn't much space so the guns would be cumbersome against one or two walkers. They walked down the hallway carefully, listening out for any signs of danger before they reached another door. Jason opened it to reveal the armoury.

The room had several tables with different items on each. The table straight ahead of them had an assortment of weapons, handguns, shotguns, rifles, assault rifles, machineguns and even explosives. To the left were clothes from the people they had obviously killed and eaten. To the left of that table were bags and other belongings. Jason instantly spotted his bag and grabbed it. He unzipped it and double checked that everything was still inside it, smiling when it was clear nothing was missing. Alongside his bag was a child's bag, a fluffy pink rabbit head bag complete with a teddy sitting next to it. They had eaten a little girl. Rick was right. These people couldn't be allowed to live. The final table was filled with jewellery, watches, earrings, rings, necklaces, all sorts of different jewellery. While Daryl was looking at the weapons, Jason grabbed two necklaces that lay side by side and pocketed them quickly.

Jason turned and joined Daryl at the table.

"Strange. Michonne's sword isn't here." Jason commented, grabbing his signature handgun along with Carl's.

"Neither's my bow." Daryl added.

"Maybe some Termites took them before they got out." Jason suggested. "Least we still have a crossbow in the gun bag."

Daryl observed Jason. He had his gun, his knife and his bag.

"We good?" The archer asked, knowing they didn't have much time to stick around.

"Let's take as many weapons as we can." Jason suggested, grabbing a large bag from one of the tables and placing different weapons inside.

Daryl agreed and did the same, making sure to grab ammo boxes as well. It made sense to at least loot the armoury for supplies and weapons before leaving Terminus to burn to the ground. Once they each had as much as they could carry, the headed for the next door which led them back to the tribute room with all the candles. The far door was open and the partially eaten corpse of the woman, Mary, lay on the floor.

They rushed towards the door and charged outside back into the walker herd. The herd was getting thicker as more and more walkers were being attracted by the fire and no one was left to kill them. As they ran for the fence some gunshots rang out behind them. Jason glanced over his shoulder. Gareth and a couple others were shooting at them from the roof top. They ran faster but a cluster of walkers forced them to separate. Daryl ran to the left towards the fence while Jason ran towards the containers to the right. The gunshots continued to violently ring out and pelt the ground with sparks.

Daryl rushed for the fence and climbed over it as fast as he could, falling over the other side out of his desperate need to avoid the gunshots. He quickly realised that he had returned with the group as Rick, Sasha and Maggie were aiming at the roof with rifles. He looked back, following the gaze of everyone else down to Jason who was still by the containers.

As Jason ran for cover one of the bullets blasted through his left leg, sending him collapsing to the ground on his front. He groaned and quickly got up as more gunshots rang out. Despite the agony coming from the gunshot in his leg he dived behind a wall to avoid the gunshots. Jason heard a snarl and looked up in time to see the walker descend upon him.

From the fence the others saw the walker descend behind the wall where Jason had landed before being quickly accompanied by two other walkers. They watched and waited, holding their breath for any sign of life. The rest of the walker herd marched past the wall showing no interest. That meant no movement. No life. Jason was gone.

Carl cried out in shock and grief as he realised his worst fears had just came true in front of him. He had told Jason it was a mistake and it had been. Just as Carl had predicted Jason had died in Terminus because he stubbornly went back into a warzone. Upon Carl's cries of anguish, Rick angrily opened fire at the people on the roof and killed two of them in quick succession while Gareth dived for cover and disappeared.

As the others looked on with dismay, Michonne holding onto a crying Carl, Rick aimed his rifle at the wall. He could only see the leg of one of the walkers sticking out from behind it but the leg was moving. That meant the walker was alive. Jason really was gone or if he was alive by this point he had been bitten and was being eaten by the three walkers. Rick threw the rifle to the ground in anger. He had let Jason go. He shouldn't have. Now the young man was gone.

Although Abraham desperately wanted to leave the area he wasn't foolish enough to tell the group to move. Seeing Carl break down over the loss of his friend, along with the depressing silence that had captured the group, he knew they needed a few minutes to accept that Jason was dead. They had tried their best to protect him. They had trusted him. Fate however, had other plans.

Ten minutes passed and Carl had stopped crying. Michonne was still holding him in a tight embrace, understanding that the teenager was still crying on the inside. She too felt tears sting at her eyes but she had to stay strong for Carl so she wiped them away quickly. They all knew they needed to move but no one wanted to say anything. Rick wanted to comfort his son but he also had the responsibility as group leader to stay strong. He knew Michonne could handle it for the time being.

"I should have gone with him." Carl sobbed weakly, feeling like he had let someone else die.

Michonne shook her head and rubbed his back. "No, this is what he was afraid would happen to you."

"But I could have helped him!" Carl argued, his eyes and face red from crying.

Michonne wasn't sure what to say so she hugged the boy tighter. She was silently grateful that the others hadn't said anything yet, that no one dared try to force them to leave so soon after having lost one of their own. As she and Carl were stood at a distance from the others, she decided to try and get Carl to open up yet again.

"He was more than a friend, wasn't he?" She whispered to Carl.

Carl didn't say anything, he just nodded. Michonne wasn't completely sure how to interpret his answer as they considered themselves family. Their conversation in the house before they had left the abandoned neighbourhood made her think that whatever the extent of the feelings, they weren't simply platonic.

"You were important to him too." She whispered, earning a hug and sob from the boy.

Michonne was good at reading people. It had been part of her job before the apocalypse and had become an essential survival skill after the apocalypse. She had seen how Jason would look at Carl when he thought no one else was watching him. She knew there were shared feelings between the two on some level. Unfortunately Jason was gone now. Whatever could have been would never be.

A twig snapped behind Rick and Daryl, causing them and a few of the others to turn around. With two rifles and Daryl's crossbow strapped to her body was Carol. The woman who had been with them since they first met in Atlanta. The woman who had killed two of their own at the prison in an effort to stop the spread of a fatal illness. The woman that Rick had banished from the group as a consequence of that effort. She stood before them looking both strong and weak at the same time.

Daryl ran up to her and hugged her strongly. He had believed her to be dead. The archer had never said anything to Rick but he always felt the man had sent her to her death by abandoning the woman out on the road. Yet there she was, in his arms again. He didn't want to let go. Rick and the other prison survivors looked on in awe before smiles crept onto their faces as they made their approach.

As Rick approached them, Carol and Daryl were almost in tears from the joy of their reunion. Daryl stood aside as Rick came face to face with Carol for the first time since he had banished her.

"Did you do that?" He asked weakly, referring to the destruction of Terminus.

Carol smiled weakly, fearing that if she was to speak she would simply cry so instead she nodded. Rick instantly hugged her out of gratitude. She had saved them. Though they had lost Jason if it hadn't been for her attack on Terminus none of them would have made it out alive. Rick knew that.

"Thank you." He said into her ear, still hugging her.

When they released themselves from the embrace, Carol stared into Rick's eyes.

"You have to come with me." She told him.

Rick nodded and looked to the others. They all agreed except for Carl who clearly wanted to stay by the fence. He didn't put up a fight however, so they grabbed the guns from the two gun bags and followed Carol away from Terminus.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later they walked over the hill of the road as a small log cabin came into view. Closing the door, with a baby in his arms, was Sasha's brother, Tyreese. The baby in his arms was instantly recognisable as Judith. Rick dropped his guns on the ground and ran as fast as he could towards Tyreese and the baby. His baby daughter, who he had believed to be dead since the attack on the prison was alive in front of him. Everyone smiled as Carl rushed after his dad towards his little sister.<p>

Rick took Judith from Tyreese's arms and held the baby close to his chest, kissing her little forehead as tears welled up in his eyes. His daughter was alive. Sasha ran into Tyreese's embrace, realising that Bob's previous optimism had been well placed. Her older brother was very much alive.

"Judith…" Carl gasped with relief as he stroked his baby sister's head.

Rick kissed her forehead again as they both caressed the baby. After all their heartbreak some glimmer of hope had been restored in the darkness of their apocalyptic nightmare. Judith was alive and had been returned to them in perfect health. Both of them couldn't help but cry as they held the baby.

Everyone looked on with smiles of joy and relief. Michonne was grateful that Carl could be allowed this moment of pure happiness so soon after the loss of Jason. It took the boy's mind off it for now.

Rick placed a hand on Tyreese's shoulder and thanked him repeatedly. A man he had believed to be dead had saved his daughter's life and had kept her safe until now. It was the noblest thing anyone had ever done for him and it would never be forgotten.

Rick kissed the baby again and placed a hand on the back of Carl's neck. He pulled his son into the embrace and held him close. As a family they were all alive and well. Though the pain of losing Jason was still very raw, this moment was too pure and too happy to be tainted by anything. This was proof that there was hope and if Hershel had still been alive he would have claimed it was a miracle. It was.

Noticing the walker corpses next to the cabin wall, Carol came up to Tyreese.

"What happened?" She asked him quietly.

"There were a couple walkers out here and he managed to get his hands round Judith's neck." Tyreese told her, referring to the Terminus member they had held captive.

Carol reached for her gun but Tyreese stopped her.

"No. He's dead." He confessed. "I…I had to. I could."

Carol accepted this and put her gun away. Tyreese had finally found it in himself to take a life because it meant saving another. He was finally learning that sometimes that's the sort of thing that had to be done.

Rick looked at the smoke rising into the air after having handed Judith back to Carl.

"Don't know if the fire is still burning." He commented, thinking aloud.

Carol looked at the smoke. It was black. "It is."

"Yeah…we need to go." Rick said, turning around.

"But where?" Daryl questioned him.

"Somewhere far away from there." Rick answered, leading them past the cabin.

Rosita stared at Abraham, who was crouched by an abandoned car.

"We'll talk to him." Abraham told her. "Just not yet."

He stood up and prepared to leave with the others. He froze when a sound caught his ears. Everyone else could hear it and also froze. It sounded like someone walking over leaves, their pace uneven. The subtle clang of metal gun barrels banging together also sounded through the air and reached their ears. Someone was coming. Someone who was armed. Realising it could be the last of the Terminus members, they all pointed their guns at the top of the road and waited. The clanging got louder and louder as the individual approached.

Finally the person walked over the ridge of the road. The clanging came from the bag of guns wrapped round their shoulder. Their hair was messy and their clothes were bloody. Their belt was tied round their left leg as a tourniquet, causing them to limp slightly. The group couldn't believe it. Jason was alive and he had managed to find them. He raised his hands in a mock sign of surrender, given that all the guns were still aimed at him.

Seeing excitement burst out of Carl, Michonne took hold of Judith. Carl charged forward towards Jason, an excited and relieved grin on his face before he hugged Jason with so much force that the young man fell on his back. He groaned as he hit the ground but wrapped his arms around Carl all the same. Carl was practically crying into his chest. The shock of losing Jason, reuniting with Judith and now with Jason was just too much for the fourteen year old to process emotionally. Jason didn't remove his arms from around the teen, even under Rick's gaze.

"That's the second time I've left you behind." Rick commented, approaching Jason, who was smiling as he held Carl.

"Please don't make it a habit." Jason answered, looking up at the man. "That was a close one."

"What happened?" Sasha asked the young man. "We saw you go down. We thought you were dead."

Carl finally released Jason so he could explain how he had cheated death. It was obvious to Carl that Jason was still in a lot of pain but it was better than being dead.

"Those Termites shot me in the leg so I dived for cover behind the wall." Jason began his explanation.

_As Jason ran for cover one of the bullets blasted through his left leg, sending him collapsing to the ground on his front. He groaned and quickly got up as more gunshots rang out. Despite the agony coming from the gunshot in his leg he dived behind a wall to avoid the gunshots. Jason heard a snarl and looked up in time to see the walker descend upon him. _

_Jason held up his shotgun and pushed it against the walker's neck so that it couldn't tilt its head low enough to bite him. He couldn't reach his machete so instead he grabbed his knife and stabbed the walker in the head. As the walker's body ceased to move another one dropped down on top of it but because of the first walker's corpse the new one couldn't reach him to bite him. Jason pulled the knife out of the first walker's skull and thrust it into the forehead of the second. The third walker quickly descended on him without giving Jason time to retract his knife from the head of the second, so he used his switchblade instead and stabbed the third walker in the eye. _

_Jason rested his head on the ground and breathed a sigh of relief. His leg was agony and he could barely breathe with three corpses lying on him but he left them there upon hearing the walker herd march past. He held his position and stayed still, praying that the corpses would mask him from view and from being smelled. He was in luck as all the other walkers marched past him. _

_Once the herd had moved on he wriggled himself out from under the corpses and leaned against the wall. He couldn't hear any more gunshots so he was probably alone with the undead. Jason took off his belt and wrapped it round the bullet wound on his leg, tightening it as much as he could to help stop the bleeding. It hurt like hell but it was better than bleeding constantly. _

_Once he was able to stand up he took out his machete and headed for the fence, killing any walker that got too close with well-practiced arm movements and reactions. He knew the group had moved on by now but they wouldn't be far so he had a chance to catch up. _

"Is it bad?" Rick asked him, gesturing to the tourniquet on his leg.

Jason shook his head. "Just a flesh wound."

"Let me take a look at it anyway." Bob offered, walking up to him and gently removing the belt.

"What are you, a doctor?" Jason asked him as Bob rolled up the leg of his cargos.

"Used to be an army medic." Bob answered, observing the gunshot wound. "It went through nice and clean. We can find some bandages later."

Jason nodded and was glad to hear that he would be okay for the time being. Walking would be difficult but he would manage. He always managed. He winced as Bob reapplied the tourniquet but said nothing to complain.

Once Jason stood up and looked over at Michonne he stumbled in shock. He glanced at Carl who was still by his side.

"Is that who I think it is?" He asked, looking at the baby in the samurai's arms.

Carl nodded excitedly. "Yeah, that's Judith. She's alive."

Jason couldn't help but let out a laugh of joy. "Wow. Just…wow."

"You good to walk?" Rick asked Jason, who nodded. "Then let's go."

The group kept their weapons at the ready and moved away from the cabin. With all of them together they took on the appearance of a militia moving through the woodland. They returned to the train tracks and came across one of the Terminus signs.

SANCTUARY FOR ALL. COMMUNITY FOR ALL. THOSE WHO ARRIVE SURVIVE. TERMINUS.

As the others walked past it, Rick decided to hang back. He took some leaves and mud and started scoring out most of the words on the sign, covering them so they were rendered invisible. Once that was done, he wrote at the top of the sign using the mud before discarding the leaves and following the group. The changes he had made to the sign read.

NO SANCTUARY.

* * *

><p><strong>Apologies for keeping you all waiting so long but life has been pretty busy. This was another big chapter to get out of the way so fortunately the next couple will be more placid. As usual, let me know what you think. <strong>

**I thank you all for the favourites/follows/subscriptions and kudos. **

**I thank my reviewers of chapter 8: rk0192, AtiliaDawnBlack & yheagrl. **


	10. God's House

**GOD'S HOUSE**

The group walked in relative silence. All of them were trying to put the horrors of Terminus behind them as they walked as far in the opposite direction of the death trap as they could. Miles behind them, the dark smoke from the fires at Terminus that were still burning ascended into the sky. Rick led the group with Glenn and Maggie close behind him. Behind them there was Tara, followed by Carol and Tyreese. Bob and Sasha were close behind and were followed by Daryl. Close behind Daryl was Michonne, Carl and a limping Jason. Carl carried Judith in a bag which was passed between him and Michonne whenever they got tired. Though they weren't walking particularly fast, Jason was struggling to keep up with his injured leg. Behind him at the back of the group was Abraham, Eugene and Rosita.

A female walker stumbled out of the woodland towards them. No other walkers were in sight. Michonne stopped walking.

"I got it." She called out to the others.

She marched up to the hungry corpse and reached for her sword, forgetting for a moment that she no longer had it. Michonne lowered her hand and laughed at herself before smacking the walker with the bottom of her assault rifle. Once the walker was on the floor she held it down with her foot and slammed the handle of the gun into the walker's skull until it was smashed into the dirt.

"Right there is why we're waiting for our moment." Abraham commented to Rosita. He didn't like being out on the open road on foot with Eugene.

Rosita laughed to herself weakly. "Yeah, fair enough." She knew they were safer as a large group and had no intention of running away at the first chance they got.

Once Michonne had caught up to the group she resumed her position alongside Carl and Jason. She immediately noticed Jason's distinct limp and the grimace on his face with each step. He was being quiet about it but he was suffering from the constant walking. They would need to take a break or he would end up collapsing.

"We can stop if you need to rest." Michonne told the young man.

Jason shook his head. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine." Michonne countered, narrowing her eyes.

"I can manage." Jason answered stubbornly.

Carl looked at Jason. The young man was obviously in a lot of pain and he was tired from the extra effort his movements required. He could tell the only reason Jason hadn't said anything was because he didn't want to slow down the group or bother Rick in some way. They needed to stop.

Carl handed the bag containing Judith to Michonne and rushed ahead of the group. He rushed up to Rick's side.

"Dad, can we take a break?" He asked the brutal but caring leader that was his father.

Rick looked back at Carl. It was odd for him to ask for them to stop as he was often supportive of Rick's decisions. He looked up at the sky and saw it clouding over but also noticed the sun was getting low in the sky. Rick looked back at the group as they walked. Everyone looked quite tired and Jason was limping pretty badly. He'd been shot in the leg before, he knew what it was like. He nodded.

Rick stopped and turned to the group, he whistled to get everyone's attention.

"We'll stay here for the night." He told them and smiled at Carl who gave him a grateful gaze.

The group spread out and found the best spots to sit down and take a break. They would most likely stay there until the next morning as it wouldn't be long until night fell upon them.

Abraham dropped one of the gun bags that he was carrying to the ground and sat down. He didn't like taking breaks when they still had enough energy to keep going. He also didn't like the idea of spending a night outside in the open, exposed, where anything could happen to Eugene. Unfortunately the numbers were against him for the time being so he would just have to go along with it.

Carl was crouched down feeding Judith from a bottle as Rick sat with them. Jason leaned against a tree near Carl, rubbing the gunshot wound on his leg as it continued to burn from all the walking. Maggie caught Glenn as he walked past her.

"Not so fast." She smiled and kissed him before hugging him close.

Tara watched on, smiling to Maggie. Inside she felt lonely. Her previous family and friends were all dead and now she was in the same group as Rick. The very man who had pleaded for the safety of his people from one side of the prison fence while she stood with the Governor on the other side. She turned around and faced Rick who had just walked up to her, guilt written on her expression.

"You didn't want to be there. That's why I tried to talk to you." Rick told her with a sigh. "Glenn told me you saved his life."

"He saved mine." Tara answered with a nervous smile.

Rick nodded. "Well, that's how it works with us, right?"

"Right." Tara nodded. "Hey!"

She held out her arm straight, her fist pointed at Rick. She offered for him to do the same. The bearded man smiled and punched her fist lightly with his own. She was part of the group now.

"Get something to eat." He told her. "We'll start back at sun-up."

Rick wandered away from her to check on the rest of the group. They all looked tired but apart from the injury to Jason's leg, no one else was hurt significantly. They would have a long and dangerous walk ahead of them if they wanted to find somewhere big enough for all of them and secure enough to feel safe in. He missed the prison and the security it had provided. Large fences, thick walls and shelter. Most of all, however, Rick missed the people.

Judith's giggle brought him out of his dark thoughts and caused the bearded sheriff to turn around. Carl was holding Judith while Jason talked to the baby, pulling funny faces and making funny voices. Judith's innocent laughter is just what they all needed to hear. It was a sound from another world, a world far friendlier than the one they were living in. It was music to their ears. Soon enough, even Carl himself started laughing at Jason's silly little show. The laughter quickly became contagious to some degree with everyone enjoying the moment.

The laughter reminded Rick of a very important point. They didn't have shelter, they didn't have great protection and they didn't have as many people as they used to. What they all did have was each other. They were a pack, a family and together they could all find the light to overcome the darkness of the apocalyptic, deadly world they lived in.

* * *

><p>Night had finally fallen. It was dangerously dark in the woodland. The wood of the fire crackled as the flames burned it away slowly, offering light and heat to the weary survivors who gathered around it. Away from the group, Rick knew he had to speak with Carol. He had banished her from the prison, from a place of safety and despite that she had come to their rescue. She was the real reason any of them were alive. Why Carl was alive.<p>

"I owe you everything." He told her.

Carol shook her head. "You owe Tyreese. He was at the prison."

Rick thought for a moment. Tyreese had indeed been the one to rescue Judith but Carol must have gone back there when she saw something had happened for her to meet Tyreese.

"You got back there?" Rick asked.

Carol didn't answer because there was no need to. They both knew that she had went back. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver watch, Rick's watch which he had handed to the young man, Sam, before he banished Carol.

"It was in one of their storerooms." Carol told him.

"I saw them kill him." Rick answered, taking the watch and putting it on. "That kid."

Rick held out Carol's old watch, which she had given to him as a replacement. The watch had been an anniversary gift from her abusive husband. It was an artefact from a life she no longer lived, a possession of a woman she no longer was. She shook her head. She didn't want it. Rick pocketed the watch.

"I still don't know about what you did but I know you knew some things I didn't." Rick commented, referring to her double murder at the prison. "I sent you away to this."

"You said I could survive." Carol interrupted him. "You were right."

Rick nodded. He hadn't been wrong but the guilt still ate away at him.

"I sent you away to this and now we're joining you." He continued. "Will you have us?"

Carol stared at him. The outside world wasn't hers. They could go where they liked and if she wasn't comfortable then she could leave at any time. She knew what he was doing though. Rick was simply trying to be respectful and hold onto old formalities. It was also a strange but sincere apology for having sent her out to fend for herself. Carol smiled and nodded.

"Thank you." Rick answered sincerely.

On the other side of their basic camp, Carl sat on a log, the bag carrying the sleeping Judith next to his feet. Sitting against the tree next to him was Jason who was staring up at the stars through the treetops. The stars always filled him with a sense of wonderment. They were a reminder that no matter what happened on Earth they were insignificant little dots in the grand scheme of things. Even if the entire human race was wiped out by the apocalypse, the universe wouldn't care. It would just continue as it always had and always will.

He was brought of his thoughts by Bob's approach. Bob crouched down in front of him and smiled.

"Mind if I take a look at your leg?" He asked. Jason nodded with a smile.

Bob undid Jason's belt, which acted as a tourniquet and rolled up the leg of his cargos. There was still blood but the majority of it was dry. Bob took out a bandage from his bag, mentioning that he had found it when he started searching the bottom of it, and wrapped it round Jason's gunshot wound. Once it was on he rolled down the leg of Jason's cargos and handed the young man his belt back. A tourniquet was no longer needed.

Jason smiled and thanked him. He stood up, with some effort, and put his belt back on round the waistband of his cargos and fastened it up. He sat back down against the tree and sighed. Unfortunately they had no pain killers and he really needed them. The gunshot wound may not have been bleeding as much as before but it was still a nasty injury and it stung like a very large hornet.

Jason turned his head and caught Carl observing him. The boy obviously realised just how much pain the young man was in and the look of concern on his face was easy to read. Jason smiled weakly to try and reduce his need to worry.

"I'll be fine." He told Carl. "Besides, now we've both been shot."

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Carl asked, smiling softly at the comparison.

"Like Hell." Jason admitted with a sigh, clutching the wound.

"Why'd you go back in?" Carl asked him suddenly.

Jason stared at the teen, considering his answer for a moment. No matter how severe the gunshot was or wasn't, the emotional pain his explanation would cause him would be much worse.

"You promised to tell me." Carl pressed with a glare.

"They had my bag. I couldn't leave it behind." Jason told him with a sigh.

"Why not?" Carl asked, confused. "It's just a bag."

Jason sighed again and unzipped his bag. He reached in and pulled out his notebook of tally marks. He flicked through the first pages which had writing, like a diary, instead of tallies. Half way through the book he stopped and lifted out a bit of paper. The paper was a photo which he handed to Carl.

Carl carefully took the photo in hand and looked at it. It depicted two mature teenagers, one older than the other. One of them had straightened brown hair with one long bang on one side and one short bang on the other. He looked to be older and by his leather jacket, Carl immediately identified it to be Jason. It was a strange picture. Jason was happy in it. He wasn't smiling for the photo, he was smiling from joy. Next to him was a slightly younger looking young man with tall, slicked back blonde hair who wore a blue hooded jumper. He too was smiling from joy. Carl didn't need to ask, he knew the blonde was Kellin.

"It's the only picture of him I have now." Jason told him, breaking the heavy silence.

"He looks really nice." Carl answered. "I wish I could have met him."

Jason smiled, his eyes glistening with nostalgia and love. "He would have adored you."

"How do you know?" Carl asked, realising it was probably a stupid question. Jason knew Kellin.

"Well, who wouldn't?" Jason answered with slight hesitation. "Kellin would have been inseparable from Judith. He loved kids."

Carl wasn't immediately sure how to answer. He had the feeling Jason had just complimented him but it wasn't clear. Seeing how Jason's eyes lit up as he talked about Kellin told him all he needed to know. The young man beside him was still very much in love.

"You really loved him, didn't you?" Carl asked. He liked hearing about Kellin.

"He was my soul mate. He was the one." Jason answered with a smile that fell slowly. "He _was_."

Carl didn't know what to say. He knew that Jason would always miss the love of his life and that it was something that would haunt the young man forever. He placed the photo back in Jason's notebook and hesitantly looked through it. Jason didn't stop him.

The most recent entries had two sets of tally marks. One set was obviously the daily count since Kellin died that he had seen before but there was another one. Counting the marks he worked out that it had started a couple days before Terminus. They must have referred to the group that Jason was now a part of because he couldn't think of anything else the tally marks could be for. Carl flipped to the front of the notebook and discovered that it had been a diary. He skimmed through the pages, all the memories of days spent with Kellin and how he made him feel. The love. The happiness. The fun. He came to a page, the date being the twenty-fifth of November. The first line stated that it was Kellin's birthday.

Before Carl could read any more of it Jason took it from him. He looked at Jason, afraid he had been rude or too nosey. Jason smiled back at him.

"Your dad probably wouldn't want you reading that page." Jason defended.

"Why wouldn't he?" Carl asked, confused.

"Too much detail." Jason answered with the hint of a blush staining his cheeks.

Carl was confused but decided not to push it. From what he could remember from when they were on the road to Terminus together, Jason had mentioned that he took Kellin's virginity on his birthday. Carl had been told how sex worked between a man and a woman shortly after the news of his mother's pregnancy. However, he had no knowledge of what two men could do. This made him curious to read the passage. Carl knew better than to push it and decided to respect Jason's privacy for the time being but made a mental note to ask him about it in the near future.

Carol sat on the other side of the camp with Daryl. The hunter rested his chin on the handle of his crossbow as he stared at the woman next to him. He had believed her to be dead after Rick banished her from the prison. He understood why Rick did it but he didn't agree with the leader. Carol had killed two of their own people in an effort to stop a disease from spreading. Even though what she did was horrific it was equally nasty to abandon her like that. Carol herself seemed to be fine with it all. She had come a long way since the days of being a scared little housewife.

"I don't want to talk about it." Carol told him, breaking the silence. "I can't. Just need to forget it."

Carol turned to stare back at the hunter beside her. Daryl considered her words carefully. She wanted them to forget about her murdering two of their own. Both people had been close to Tyreese and he had forgiven her for it. Perhaps that was all that mattered.

"Alright." Daryl finally answered.

A twig snapped in the darkness, alerting Daryl and making him stand up with his crossbow at the ready. They were exposed and it was very dark. Anything or anyone could be lurking in the shadows. He strained his eyes but he couldn't see anything. No movement. No noise.

"It's nothing." He commented and relaxed, allowing them to sit down again.

* * *

><p><em>Laughter and the clicking of game controllers filled the room. Jason and Kellin sat crossed legged on the floor in front of a large HD television, GameCube controllers were in their hands as the played Super Smash Bros Brawl on Jason's Nintendo Wii. They were playing against each other in a wild match with two high-level computer controlled opponents. <em>

"_Get wrecked!" Jason shouted at the computer opponent as his Captain Falcon landed an explosive Falcon Punch. _

_The attack sent the computer opponent flying off the screen as they lost a life. Jason clicked at the controller and made Captain Falcon taunt only to have Kellin's Kirby throw a bomb at him. As he was taunting, Jason couldn't avoid the bomb and he screamed as Captain Falcon was sent rocketing out of the arena. Kellin laughed loudly at Jason's exaggerated reaction which quickly got Jason laughing with him. _

_Jason's Captain Falcon respawned on the stage. He dropped down and chased after Kellin's Kirby, trying to land various punches and kicks as Kellin ran from him. _

"_Get back here you sneaky bastard!" Jason called out to him, finally landing a powerful kick. _

_Kellin laughed as his Kirby bounced across the stage but failed to fly off the screen. Jason renewed his chase which earned his Captain Falcon a hammer to the face courtesy of Kellin's Kirby. They were both on one life and had high damage. Either one of them could lose or win. Jason's Captain Falcon recovered and picked up an item boxed, he dropped it at his feet but it exploded and sent him flying out the stage with a scream. Kellin doubled over on the floor laughing at his boyfriend's misfortune. _

_Once Jason had finished laughing at his own bad luck, Kellin was still laughing his head off at having one because of something so stupid. _

"_Oh shut up!" Jason said jokingly, still grinning in amusement. _

"_Make me!" Kellin retorted, sitting up again, still laughing. _

_Jason closed the gap between them and kissed Kellin strongly, pushing him onto his back on the floor. Jason's movements were fluid as he lay flat on top of Kellin as their tongues continued to battle each other. They finally broke apart. _

"_You told me to make you." Jason commented with a grin. _

_Kellin grinned back and let his hands run down Jason's back before resting on his hips. He held onto Jason's hips and held him in place, staring up at him. _

"_But I didn't tell you to stop." Kellin answered._

_Jason smiled and took the hint. He lowered his head and closed the gap between them again, kissing his boyfriend as strongly as before. Kellin's hands wandered from Jason's hips to his backside, squeezing gently. Jason groaned into the kiss, earning a giggle from Kellin as the indulged in each other, the videogame long forgotten._

* * *

><p>Jason's eyes fluttered open. A sharp noise was penetrating his eardrums. Judith was crying. He rubbed his eyes and sat up a little too fast, pain shooting through his leg causing him to hiss in discomfort. He looked around and saw Carol coming over to deal with the crying baby but he raised his hand as a sign that she didn't have to.<p>

Jason scooted over to the bag and lifted Judith out of the bag. He held her in one arm as he reached into the side pocket of the bag and pulled out some milk. It was still fresh so he supported her head and back against his arm and started feeding her the milk. The loud little bundle stopped crying and started sucking down the milk happily from the bottle.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Carl slowly awaken and rise up with a yawn. Carl noticed Jason was feeding Judith and smiled.

"You're pretty good at that." He commented quietly, so as to not wake the others if Judith hadn't already.

"It's pretty easy." Jason commented with a smile, his attention on Judith.

"Did you ever get to do it before…?" Carl trailed off although it was obvious he meant the apocalypse.

Jason shook his head. "This is my first time with a human baby."

"Human?" Carl questioned. What other babies could Jason have fed from a bottle?

"I used to work with animals at a zoo while I finished my degrees." Jason told him with a smile. "I became a surrogate mother to some tiger cubs once."

"That's really cool." Carl answered with a smile.

Jason nodded. "Yeah, it was. Fortunately Judith here isn't as feisty as those cubs were."

They both laughed lightly at this as Jason finished feeding Judith. He patted her back before placing her back in her bag, giving her a warm smile as she looked up at him with large, curious eyes.

Rick wandered over, still holding his assault rifle as he crouched down to Jason's level.

"You didn't have to do that but thank you." He told him.

"We're family, remember?" Jason answered. "We all take turns of things."

Rick nodded with a smile. They were fortunate to have a strong and compassionate group. Judith's existence was nothing less than a miracle, regardless of who the father really was. For a long time Rick had only seen Shane in the baby. After that the baby took on the symbol of his failure as a husband as he had been unable to keep his wife safe. Nowadays, Judith was a symbol of love and hope. A shining light in the ever growing darkness around them.

"How you feeling?" Rick asked the young man, waving a hand towards his leg.

"Still in a lot of pain but I can walk if that's what you're really asking." Jason answered, staring back at the bearded man.

Rick nodded and looked around at some of the still sleeping forms of the group members in the camp.

"Good. I'll give them five more minutes then we'll get ready to go."

* * *

><p>Half an hour later and the entire group was on the move. Rick took the lead yet again and was closely followed by Carl and a limping Jason. Behind them Michonne stuck close, followed by Bob and Sasha, Carol, Tyreese, Tara, Glenn, Maggie and Abraham's group. Daryl had been out hunting and wasn't back yet. Rick had reminded the others that he was a trained tracker and could catch up with them easily.<p>

The rustling of vegetation sparked Rick's attention, causing him to turn and aim his assault rifle which provoked a chain reaction of everyone aiming their weapons. Daryl appeared from the thick vegetation and saw all the guns pointed at him. He held out his dead squirrel collection and crossbow as he raised his hands in a surrendering motion.

"I surrender." He joked flatly.

The group relaxed and continued marching on as Daryl came to Rick's side.

"No tracks, no nothing." Daryl told him quietly.

"So whatever you heard last night…" Rick began but was interrupted.

"It's more what I felt." Daryl answered. "Like someone's watching us. Gotta have been something."

Rick nodded and turned around. He and Daryl were slightly ahead of the group so he whistled to the others.

"Keep close." He ordered before turning back to continue walking.

"Ready to get some concrete under your feet?" Abraham asked their leader.

"I think it's time." Rick answered. It would do them good to find a road and give themselves a destination.

"That is sweet music to my ears, officer." Abraham replied. "Follow the next road we come to, keep going north until we find a vehicle, good?"

"Good." Rick answered, accepting the plan.

Tara, Glenn and Maggie were still lagging behind slightly.

"Tighten it up." Rick told them flatly. They had to stick together as a tight group to survive on the road.

The group continued through the woodland, all of them grateful for a long break without walkers.

"Ah, wet socks." Sasha stated.

"Cool feet." Bob responded.

"Mosquito bites." Sasha said.

"Itching reminds you that you're alive." Bob replied.

"Danger around every corner." Sasha stated.

"Never a dull moment." Bob retorted.

"The hot sun beating down on you." Sasha said with a smirk.

"Oh come on, a glorious tan!" Bob replied with a grin.

This got a laugh out of both of them.

"I said it and I meant it!" Bob continued.

"No privacy." Sasha tried.

"Captive audience." Bob countered and kissed her.

Sasha fell back after the kiss to converse with her older brother, Tyreese.

"He's a damn expert at that." She told him with a grin.

"What was it?" Tyreese asked her with a smile.

"A little game." Sasha explained. "The good out of the bad."

Carl had heard their laughter and their kisses. Between Glenn and Maggie and Sasha and Bob, he was getting a better idea of what being in a relationship with someone you love was like. It also gave him a better idea of what it was that Jason had lost and what he himself had never experienced.

A man's screams for help brought him out of his thoughts and made the entire group freeze on the spot. Rick held his hand up, silently ordering them to stay still. The man was alone, screaming for help and Carl knew how that felt just before he had met Jason.

"Dad come on!" Carl urged his father who didn't move. "_Come on!_"

Rick relented and gave the signal for the whole group to take off running towards the man's screams. Jason was left at the back of the group as he hobbled along as fast as he could but running was still beyond him with the recent gunshot to his leg. He cursed to himself. Jason hated feeling weak or useless.

They came across a man trapped on top of a large boulder. He was dark skinned and wore a black suit. He was screaming up at the sky for help as several walkers surrounded the boulder, clawing up at him hungrily.

Carl shot the closest walker in the back of the head, Rick crushed the next one's head against the boulder. Michonne smashed the third walker's head with the bottom of her rifle. Carol stabbed a fourth walker in the back of the head with her knife. A fifth walker advanced towards her as she struggled to remove her knife from the skull of the walker she killed. Daryl quickly fired his crossbow at the fifth walker, the arrow penetrating through its eye and into its brain. The sixth and final walker was swiftly decapitated by Jason's machete.

Rick looked around quickly. No more walkers for the time being.

"Clear!" He called out to the group. "Keep watch!"

Rick stared up at the man on the boulder. "Come on down."

The man nervously made his way down to ground level. Now that they could see his neck, the white tag on the collar of his suit revealed that he was a priest. He looked very uncomfortable as he stood before the group.

"You okay?" Rick asked him, unsure of what was wrong with the man.

The priest raised a finger before turning to his side and throwing up. Most of the group averted their gaze with slight disgust.

"Sorry." The man apologised, taking a breath. "Yes, thank you. I'm Gabriel."

"Do you have any weapons on you?" Rick asked him directly.

Gabriel laughed nervously and held his arms out. "Does it look like I would have any weapons?"

"We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like." Abraham declared impatiently.

"I have no weapons of any kind." Gabriel told them. "The word of God is the only protection I need."

"Sure didn't look like it." Daryl commented cynically.

"I called for help." Gabriel answered with a grin. "Help came."

Jason sighed and rubbed his forehead slowly, looking down at his feet. "Just can't win with these people."

Gabriel looked at him before realising that no one was smiling with him. They were all studying him seriously.

"Do you have any food?" Gabriel asked weakly. "Whatever I had left, it's just hit the ground."

"We've got some pecans." Carl answered, offering him a small handful.

Gabriel took the pecans and thanked Carl sincerely. His eyes caught sight of Judith who was currently in Tyreese's arms.

"That's a beautiful child." Gabriel stated with a smile. It was the first child he had seen in a very long time.

The group edged closer, defensive over the baby. The friendly look on Carl's face also dropped away. Rick glared at the man standing in front of him. Something didn't feel right.

"Do you have a camp?" Gabriel asked, uncomfortable at being glared at so intensely by a whole group of people.

"No." Rick answered quickly. "Do you?"

"I have a church." Gabriel answered nervously.

"Hold your hands above your head." Rick demanded impatiently. He didn't like the feeling he was getting from the man.

Rick started searching the priest for weapons with one hand.

"How many walkers have you killed?" He asked the first of the three golden questions.

"Not any, actually." Gabriel answered nervously again.

"Turn around." Rick barked, pushing the priest to turn around as he continued searching him.

"How many people have you killed?" Rick asked the second golden question.

"None." Gabriel answered confused.

"Why?" Rick finished with the final question, staring into the priest's eyes.

"Because the Lord abhors violence." Gabriel answered.

Jason sighed at from his position, leaning against the boulder. "Must be a different Lord to the one I'm familiar with."

Rick glared at Jason, a silent order for him to keep quiet during the interrogation of the priest. He returned his glare to Gabriel, narrowing his eyes in confusion. This man was hiding something. He hadn't killed any walkers or people.

"What have you done?" Rick hissed.

Gabriel looked back at him with even greater confusion.

"We've all done something." Rick declared.

"I'm a sinner, I sin almost every day." Gabriel answered. "But those sins I confess them to God, not strangers."

"You said you had a church." Michonne commented.

Gabriel nodded.

"Lead the way." Rick told the priest firmly.

Gabriel hesitated for a moment before walking away from the group slowly as they followed behind. Although Rick didn't trust him they needed a place to stay before it got dark again and the church would have to do.

As they all followed the priest in the direction of the church, Rick recalled what Daryl had mentioned about them being watched. He kept his finger close to the trigger of his assault rifle as he decided to try and confirm any suspicions.

"Hey, earlier, were you watching us?" Rick asked Gabriel.

"I keep to myself." Gabriel shook his head. "Nowadays people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?"

The group thought back to the Governor and to Terminus. Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Carl and Jason also thought of the group of Claimers who had tried to kill them and rape Carl.

"No." Rick answered sharply.

"People are worse." Daryl finished.

"Well, I wasn't watching you. I haven't been beyond the stream near my church more than a few times since it all started." Gabriel explained. "That was the furthest I've gone before today."

Gabriel studied the serious faces of the group. None of them seemed to believe him or accept his explanations. He felt like he was some kind of alien life form to these people and he couldn't understand why. He was a man of God, pure and just. These people didn't trust him.

"Or maybe I'm lying. Maybe I'm lying about everything and there's no church ahead at all." Gabriel joked with a smirk. "Maybe I'm leading you into a trap so I can steal all your squirrels."

Rick stopped walking, slowing the group as the chuckling priest turned to face him. His smile faded when he saw how serious everyone was staring at him. Gabriel was unaware that the entire group had just escaped from a people trap set by ruthless cannibals. Joking about a trap was not in his best interest.

"Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humour leaves much to be desired." Gabriel quickly defended himself, backing away as Rick advanced towards him.

"Yeah, it does." Daryl hissed with irritation.

Rick nodded at Gabriel, signalling for him to turn around and continue leading them to the church. He was impatient and if Gabriel hadn't been watching them then it meant someone else had been. That fact made Rick feel very uncomfortable.

They entered a clearing in the woodland and were greeted with a small white church made mostly of wood. It was a welcoming sight to a group that had been on the road for so long. It looked abandoned and gave the sense that Gabriel hadn't been lying. Gabriel ascended the steps and took out the keys from his pocket, preparing to open the door.

"Hold up." Rick stopped him. "We'll take a look around first."

Rick ascended the stairs up to the door and held his hand out for Gabriel to give him the key.

"We just want to hold onto our squirrels."

Gabriel relented and gave him the key, feeling that it was all unnecessary. Rick unlocked the door and marched inside with his gun raised, followed by Michonne, Daryl, Carol and Glenn. While Rick, Glenn and Carol walked up the middle, Daryl and Michonne took the sides of the church hall and checked behind all the pews. The church hall was silent with no signs of anyone inside.

Michonne opened one of the doors on the far end and aimed her rifle inside. She and Glenn surveyed the room but could only find a table, a sofa and some children's drawings stuck to the wall.

Carol stood over the desk in the church hall. A cross sat on the table along with several books, one of which was an open bible. Studying the discarded pen and half-finished page, it was clear that Gabriel spent his time copying the bible so as to preserve the holy word of God. Carol had stopped believing in a God a long time ago.

Daryl entered the other room on the far side of the hall. It was similar to the other, empty apart from furniture and a picture of the last supper on the wall.

Rick checked the desk at the front of the church, decorated with a large silver cross. Underneath the desk and around the border of where it sat were rows of empty food cans. It looked like Gabriel had indeed stayed inside the church for a very long time.

Outside the church, Jason stood and watched for people or walkers. Abraham, Rosita, Maggie, Bob and Sasha were patrolling the perimeter for any potential traps or hidden dangers. Everything was quiet and appeared to be safe.

Carl, Jason, Tyreese, Tara and Eugene stayed by Father Gabriel so he wouldn't be tempted to move. Jason grunted as he shifted his weight to his right leg as pain was shooting through his left leg again. He needed to rest soon to give his leg time to recover.

"You okay?" Carl asked him, gently bouncing Judith in his arms.

"Yeah." Jason nodded. "Just need to sit down soon."

"What happened to your leg?" Gabriel asked him carefully. He knew bites turned people.

"I was shot while escaping a death trap set by cannibals." Jason told him flatly, not wanting Gabriel's attention. "They didn't like squirrels."

Gabriel decided it was best not to speak, having taken the hint that his previous joke had been poorly worded and ill-timed for the group.

A strained sigh left Carl's mouth and didn't go unnoticed by Jason. It looked like Carl's arms were getting tired from holding onto Judith for so long.

"I can take her if you need a break." Jason offered with a smile.

Carl shook his head. "It's fine."

The rest of the group finished their patrol of the perimeter and returned to the front of the church. From inside Rick whistled to the others and declared it safe for them to stay in. Rick walked out and handed Gabriel the keys.

"I spent months here without stepping out the front door." Gabriel commented. "If you had found someone inside…well it would have been surprising."

"Thanks for this." Carl spoke up to Gabriel, grateful that they had a roof over their heads again.

"Found a short bus out back. It don't run but I bet we could fix that in less than a day or two." Abraham told Rick. "The Father here says he doesn't want it. Looks like we've found ourselves some transport."

Rick stroked Judith's head gently. He was glad that they had found shelter for her as she was the most fragile and vulnerable member of the group.

"You understand what's at stake here, right?" Abraham continued, making sure he wasn't being ignored.

Rick didn't take his eyes off Judith. She was a shining light of hope and innocence in the world and it was one of the few things he lived for.

"Yes I do."

"Now that we can take a breath?" Michonne interrupted, surprised at Abraham's single mindedness.

"We take a breath, we slow down." Abraham countered. "Shit inevitably goes down."

"We need supplies no matter what we do next." Michonne retorted.

"That's right." Rick agreed. "Water, food, ammunition."

Rick ascended the stairs again and walked inside, followed by the group itself.

"Short bus ain't going nowhere." Daryl told Abraham. "We'll bring you back some baked beans."

Daryl wandered inside along with Carol. Glenn stopped beside Abraham.

"One way or another we're doing what Rick does." He told the muscular soldier. "We're not splitting up again."

Glenn entered the church with Maggie close behind him.

"What he said." Tara commented to Abraham as she walked past.

Bob and Sasha approached Abraham last.

"We want to roll with you but…what she said." Bob told him.

Bob walked past him and entered the church with Sasha behind him. Abraham stood where he was and smirked. He would need to convince them all to go to Washington. He could do that.

As the group got themselves settled, Rick took Judith from Carl to give the boy a break. He also needed to be close to the child to remind himself what it was he fought for day in day out.

"How did you survive here for so long?" Rick asked the priest. "Where did your supplies come from?"

Gabriel smiled. "Luck. Our annual canned food drive. Things fell apart right after we finished it. It was just me."

Carl noticed that his father was still interrogating the priest so he walked up and took hold of Judith for him. He loved taking care of his baby sister.

"The food lasted a long time then I started scavenging." Gabriel explained. "I've cleaned out every place nearby except for one."

"What kept you from it?" Rick asked him, curious.

"It's overrun." Gabriel answered. He couldn't handle walkers.

"How many?" Rick asked, confident in his group's skill to kill walkers.

"About a dozen or so, maybe more." Gabriel answered.

Rick nodded. That was manageable for the group if they did it right. "We can handle a dozen."

Sasha walked up to them. "Bob and I will go with you. Tyreese should stay here, help keep Judith safe."

"Would that be okay?" Rick asked the large man in front of him.

"Sure, if you ever need me to watch her." Tyreese smiled. "If you need anything for her. I'm right here."

"I'm grateful for it." Rick told him, stepping forward. "And everything else."

"I'll draw you a map." Gabriel suggested, heading for one of the desks.

"You don't need to." Rick stopped him. "You're coming with us."

"I'm not going to be of any help." Gabriel answered, smiling nervously. "You saw me, I'm no good around those things."

"You're coming with us." Rick repeated coldly. He wanted to keep an eye on him.

Once Carl had placed Judith in her bag, Rick walked over to him and gestured for his son to sit down on one of the pews. He crouched down in front of his son.

"Listen, I don't trust this guy." He whispered.

"Why?" Carl questioned.

"Why do you trust him?" Rick asked, curious to see how his son thought about things.

Carl thought for a moment. "Everybody can't be bad. Look at Jason."

Rick glanced over at Jason, who was sitting next to Judith out of hearing range. He nodded and smiled.

"Well, I don't trust this guy." Rick told his son. "And that's why I'm bringing him with me."

Rick paused for a moment, making sure he had his son's attention.

"But he could have friends." Rick continued. "So I need you to stay alert and help Tyreese protect Judith. Okay?"

Carl nodded, accepting his responsibilities as a member of the group and as Judith's older brother.

"Now, I need you to hear what I'm about to say." Rick said seriously.

"Okay." Carl nodded, ready for whatever his father had to tell him.

"You are not safe. No matter how many people are around or how clear the area looks." Rick told him. "No matter what anyone says, no matter what you think. You are not safe."

Carl stared back into his father's eyes, surprised at his sudden honesty but he also appreciated it.

"It only takes one second. One second and it's over." Rick concluded. "Never let your guard down. Ever. I want you to promise me."

Carl nodded. "I promise."

"Okay." Rick said as he stood back up.

Carl also stood up quickly. "Dad?"

Rick turned back around and walked up to him.

"You're right. I am strong. We both are. But we're strong enough that we can still help people." Carl told the man. "And we can handle ourselves if things go wrong. And we're strong enough that we don't have to be afraid. And we don't have to hide."

Rick nodded. His son was a good person. Despite the horrors of the world that he had faced, Carl had managed to hold onto his humanity. Rick knew he was gradually losing his as a sacrifice for keeping his family safe.

"Well he's hiding something." Rick commented. He could tell.

Carl nodded. "I'll stay safe, dad."

Rick nodded and placed his hand on the back of Carl's neck affectionately before heading for the door. He was followed by Bob, Sasha, Gabriel and Michonne. The doors closed behind them, the sound of them closing echoing in the church hall.

"Daryl and I are going to scout the area, make sure that it's safe." Carol announced as she and the archer headed for the door.

They received a nod from everyone inside the church as acknowledgement and permission to leave. As they headed for the door, Glenn, Maggie and Tara followed them. They explained that they were also going to head into the local town and look for guns.

This left Jason, Judith, Carl, Eugene and Tyreese inside the church as Abraham and Rosita were out the back of the church working on the short bus. Jason groaned with effort as he rose to his feet and walked across the church hall. He was looking for somewhere to lie back and hoped the church had a bed or sofa that was softer than the pews.

"What are you doing?" Carl asked him, having followed him quietly.

Jason turned his head to him. "Just looking for somewhere to lie down. I might need to later."

Jason opened the door closest to him and smiled when he saw the sofa that rested against the wall. It wasn't much but it would do as a comfortable place to lay back and take weight off his left leg. He walked into the room and sat down on the sofa to test how soft it was. It was old but it was softer than hard wood.

Carl sat down next to him, earning a confused look from Jason.

"I want to hear more about what life was like for you before." Carl admitted honestly.

"Why?" Jason asked bluntly but innocently. He didn't see it as being important information.

"It'll give me something to dream about." Carl answered honestly, looking down at the floor.

"What do you mean by dream about?" Jason asked, a little confused.

"What it would have been like for me now." Carl explained. "If the world hadn't ended."

Now Jason understood. Carl wanted to know what his life could have been if the world hadn't ended. He wanted to know the kinds of things a young teenage boy would get up to, the experiences he would have and the mistakes he might make. This information would allow him to build a world in his dreams that was still going. No walkers. No fear.

Jason smiled and nodded. "Okay."

* * *

><p>Gabriel led Rick, Bob, Sasha and Michonne down an alleyway in the town. The town was quiet and appeared to be free of walkers apart from those in the place Gabriel was taking them to.<p>

"Hey. When you said they don't get to live, you weren't wrong." Bob told Rick, referring to the Termites. "If we push ourselves and let things go, then we let some more go, some more and pretty soon there's things we can't get back."

They continued walking, the birds on the rooftops above them were chirping as if the world wasn't a deadly wasteland.

"Things we couldn't hold onto even if we tried." Bob continued. "Washington is going to happen, Rick."

"I haven't decided if we're going." Rick replied.

"Yeah, I know and that's cool but you've seen Abraham in action." Bob responded. "He's going to get there and Eugene's going to cure all of this and you're going to find yourself in a place where it's like how it used to be."

Rick remained silent as Bob continued to speak his mind.

"And if you let too much go along the way then that's not going to work." Bob continued. Then you're going to be back in the real world."

"_This_ is the real world, Bob." Rick answered, looking at the devastation of the ghost town around them.

"No, this is a nightmare and nightmares end." Bob answered with a laugh. "I'm sorry, I'm calling it. Washington's going to happen. You're going to say yes. There's already too much momentum. You can't fight city hall."

Rick stared at the grinning man beside him. He was surprised anyone could be so optimistic after nearly two years of an apocalypse filled with flesh eating corpses.

"Or maybe that's one of those parts of not letting go." Bob countered his own optimism with a grin.

* * *

><p>Daryl and Carol had finished scouting the area and had used the nearby stream to fill up some water bottles. They were heading back to the church down one of the old roads that was now carpeted by fallen leaves.<p>

"Hey I get it, you don't want to talk about it." Daryl commented. "You okay?"

Carol turned to him. "Gotta be."

"We get to start over." Daryl continued. "All of us, with each other. You saved us all by yourself."

"We got lucky." Carol replied, trying to be realistic. "We all should be dead."

At the bottom of the road there was a dirty, leaf covered car that had been abandoned at the side of the road for months.

"I'll check it." Carol told him as she walked towards it.

Carol opened the door of the car and sat in the driver's seat. The keys were still in the ignition so she tried turning it. There was a faint clicking but nothing came of it. She grimaced in disappointment and got out of the car. She opened the boot of the car to search for supplies or something to help get it started.

"Hey, we ain't dead." Daryl said to her. "And whatever happened, happened. Let's start over."

"I want to." Carol answered.

"Well, you can." Daryl replied.

Carol stayed silent and checked the boot. There was an emergency starter there and when she pushed the start button on it a light came on indicating it still had some battery power left. She immediately turned it off and closed the door.

"We should leave this here for backup in case things go south at the church." She said to Daryl.

"Will you carry one of those?" Daryl asked, holding out and letting go of one of the water bottles.

However, Carol had already picked up the two she had originally been carrying which meant the water bottle Daryl let go of crashed to the ground. Carol smiled as Daryl face-palmed.

"No." Carol answered in a funny voice as Daryl picked up the dropped bottle.

* * *

><p>Maggie and Tara stood outside an abandoned and empty looking gun shop. They were in town, the streets deserted completely while Glenn was inside the shop looking for guns or ammo.<p>

"You know I didn't want to mention anything when we looked this place up in the phonebook." Tara commented. "But I just can't imagine a gun store having left overs nowadays."

"It don't look good, does it?" Maggie answered, looking at the entrance.

Suddenly there was a crash of things falling over from inside. Tara and Maggie readied their guns and moved towards the door. Glenn came out of the door unharmed.

"Was it a walker?" Tara asked.

"Uh…yeah, it's a walker." Glenn answered, holstering his gun.

"Really?" Maggie asked, not believing his hesitant tone of voice.

"It was a stack of boxes and a mop and I tripped." Glenn admitted, earning a laugh from the two women.

"Still, not what we came for but…" Glenn commented, pulling out three suppressors.

"You actually found something?" Tara asked, surprised.

"Three silencers stashed in a mini-fridge." Glenn answered with a smile. "Rule number one of scavenging, there's nothing left in this world that isn't hidden."

* * *

><p>"We spent the entire night playing videogames and snacking on chocolate." Jason was finishing off one of his many stories to Carl.<p>

He was telling Carl about a sleepover he had had with Kellin in the early days of their relationship. Carl was smiling with amusement at all the funny conversations the two lovers had shared in their time together but he also smiled at how much the subject brightened Jason up.

"So that's the sort of thing I'd probably be doing right now?" Carl asked with a grin.

"Yeah, probably. That would be the kind of thing to drive your parents mad." Jason replied with a matching grin.

They both laughed at the idea of Rick going crazy at four in the morning because of the chocolate and videogame induced fun Carl would have been having if the world hadn't ended.

"So was it like that all the time?" Carl asked. "Because all of this sounds amazing!"

Jason's smile faded slightly but it clung to his face as he spoke.

"No, not all the time." He answered honestly. "But those times made up for the bad ones."

"Bad ones?" Carl asked, curious and hoping Jason would explain.

Jason rolled up the sleeve of his leather jacket and the black top that he wore underneath it to reveal some scars on his arm and wrist. They were the ever present reminders of the times he had self-harmed because of bullying or the traumatic childhood he had dealt with at home.

Carl leaned forward for a closer look, inching closer to Jason's arm. "Do you remember what each one was for?"

Jason also lowered his head to his arm and pointed out each individual scar. He went down his arm starting at his wrist.

"This was from wanting out of my home life. My uncle used to beat me."

He pointed at the next one down.

"This one was from my guilt at having finally fought back. He ended up in hospital."

He pointed at the one below that.

"This one was from being bullied at school for not being one of the cool kids."

Each time his finger went lower, both his and Carl's faces followed it.

"And this one was from the bullying I received when someone learned I liked guys as well as girls."

"I'm sorry all that happened to you." Carl said to him lowly. He meant it. His friend had so much pain.

"It's okay." Jason answered. "It's in the past now."

Carl turned to look at him and realised their faces were quite close together as a result of examining the scars. Jason realised this too and smirked.

"We're kinda close." He teased.

Jason had meant it as a joke but Carl couldn't help but blush at the comment. He knew he cared a lot about Jason. It was obvious to most of the group when they had believed him to be dead at Terminus. Michonne, as his most trusted friend, knew that Jason had become very important to Carl. He felt his heart pound in his chest. He wanted something but he wasn't sure what it was.

Jason noticed the blush and the slight change in Carl's breathing. He was suddenly nervous and Jason couldn't figure out why. Their faces were close together and he had made a light joke about it but now neither of them seemed to want to move.

"What's up?" Jason asks quietly, concerned for Carl.

Carl stuttered, their eyes meeting. He could see the nervousness and pain inside those blue eyes.

"I…I don't know." Carl answered. His face was still red and Jason's questions weren't helping.

Jason moved his face a little closer to Carl's. They could feel each other's breath against their faces with how close they were. He was starting to piece it together.

"Carl?" Jason whispered, not taking his eyes off the teen's. "Do you _like_ me?"

Carl swallowed nervously as his blush intensified. His eyes darted between Jason's eyes and Jason's lips. He had never been this close to someone in his life. He had never felt this rush of adrenaline before, it was different from the adrenaline produced by fear or rage. It felt good. There was another feeling but Carl didn't know how to describe it. Jason's questioned returned to his mind, realising he awkwardly hadn't answered it yet. It was an important question. Carl wasn't sure what his answer was. He was feeling too many new and different things.

"I…I don't know." Carl repeated, his face flaming up with embarrassment.

Jason felt the very same adrenaline coursing through him. He had noticed how Carl's eyes darted from his eyes to his lips, how he swallowed nervously and how red his face had turned. He recalled that Carl had never been intimate with anyone in his life. This situation was new to him and he didn't know how to react. Although he said he didn't know if he liked Jason or not, Jason took that as a positive reaction. He had to guide Carl through this. He had to make a decision.

Carl's eyes widened as Jason closed the gap between them. He felt warm lips on his own. They were soft and gentle. Nothing was forced. His heartbeat accelerated. This was what he had wanted. This was why he had got so nervous. The feeling he couldn't describe was want. Desire. Jason pulled away slightly and gazed into Carl's eyes, looking for any signs of rejection. He couldn't find any.

"Is this okay?" Jason asked, placing a hand gently on the back of Carl's neck.

Carl swallowed nervously again and nodded slowly. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do or what he was supposed to say.

Jason closed the gap again, connecting their lips just as gently as before. Carl closed his eyes with Jason this time. Jason pulled him closer with the hand on the back of his neck, earning a quick gasp of surprise. Jason took that opportunity to slide his tongue gently into Carl's mouth, exploring it and teasing Carl's own tongue. Carl's breathing intensified at this new, deeper kiss. He recognised it. He had seen members of the group kiss like this before but it felt totally different to how he expected it to. He liked it.

Jason felt a mix of adrenaline and serenity course through him. He couldn't believe he was kissing Carl or that the boy was allowing him to. At the same time it was relaxing as it was the first chance he had had to be close to someone since Kellin died. _Kellin_. The thought of his dead boyfriend brought him back to reality. He was kissing _Carl_. Carl was five years younger than him. Rick had threatened to kill him if he touched Carl. He was touching Carl.

Jason pulled away. He had to fix things before he made an even bigger mistake that would justify Rick killing him like he did to the fat man who had attempted to rape Carl.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Jason gasped out quickly. "I shouldn't have done that."

Carl's face was a mix of confusion and hurt. "What do you mean?"

"Your dad told me he'd kill me if I touched you." Jason answered nervously. "I'm no better than that guy on the road to him now."

Carl shivered at the memory. "But I wanted this. It's different."

"I still shouldn't have done it." Jason countered, rubbing his forehead anxiously. "We just need to forget it. It was a mistake."

Pain flashed through Carl's face as he glared at Jason. "You don't like me, do you?"

It was the only conclusion Carl could come to that would explain why Jason saw the kiss as a mistake. He probably just missed Kellin so much that he was willing to kiss anyone and pretend it was him for a while. Jason didn't actually like him back. It crushed him.

Jason's face fell as he met Carl's glare. He realised he had made a big mistake and had given Carl the wrong idea. He slowly shook his head, his voice practically a whisper.

"No, no, it's not that." He answered, hating himself. "I _do_ like you, Carl. I like you a lot."

Carl felt relief wash over him along with great excitement. Jason liked him back. His feelings were returned. He wouldn't have to face rejection and it also meant he wasn't a stupid kid who didn't understand his emotions. Confusion quickly dampened his excitement. Jason had still said it had been a mistake.

"So why was it a mistake?" Carl asked, his voice low with confusion and hurt.

"Because you're too young, Carl." Jason rubbed his forehead and sighed. "You're not ready for such a commitment. Especially in this world."

"_Too young?_ Are you kidding me?" Carl spat back, hurt and angry.

Jason stared back at Carl, confused at his anger. It was true. Carl was fourteen, he was too young to be with Jason and now wasn't the time to be thinking about romantic relationships either.

"I have to be afraid every day of my life. I have to kill walkers. I'm old enough to kill them!" Carl spat. "I'm old enough to kill people! I had to shoot my mum! I've seen people die all the time!"

Carl let his rage out. He wasn't truly angry with Jason. He was frustrated. The one good thing in his life, the one thing he wanted and he could have was about to be taken away from him. It wasn't like the walkers or the Governor. This time he could do something to keep it. He could stop himself from losing it.

"I'm old enough to live in this world. To be trusted by the group!" Carl continued to rail against Jason. "Even my dad said that I'm a man now! But I'm too young for this?"

Jason realised what Carl was trying to tell him. He understood the point the frustrated teen was making. He was old enough and mature enough to deal with all the horrific things in this world but Jason had told him he was too young for a relationship. How insulting that must have been.

"This is something I want! I'm old enough to know that I want this!" Carl wasn't finished. "It's something good. Something nice. Why can't I have it?!"

Jason lowered his head. Carl was right. He was absolutely right. He was mature enough to have a relationship. He was mature enough to decide that he wanted to experience something positive, something warm, and something good in the dark, cold world they lived in. Jason would be wrong to deny him that.

"I don't want you to get hurt." Jason answered, standing up. "If we did this and I died you would be crushed. I can't do that to you."

"My dad told me that I'm not safe, we're not safe. We're always in danger." Carl told him, staring directly into his eyes. "I want to have this for however long we have left. I want happy memories like you have!"

Jason sighed in defeat. Carl was right. They could all die in a few hours or a few days or a few months. There was truly no way of knowing. It made the warmth of love and intimacy even more important. It carried the risk of heartbreak but upon reflection, Jason realised it always did. Car crashes, illness, crime and accidents happened all the time in the old world to destroy relationships. Walkers and dangerous people were really no different. Nothing had truly changed. Carl needed warmth in his life, that's why he clung to Judith so much. She was a symbol of warmth and light in his life. A sign that good things could still happen. He needed this.

Jason stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Carl's smaller frame tightly. He held him there, taking a moment to take Carl's hat off so he could pull the younger teen closer. They stayed there, locked in an embrace for what felt like hours to both of them. Carl eventually moved his head up to look at Jason's face.

"Is that a yes?" Carl asked softly, uncertain.

Jason nodded and kissed Carl's forehead. "That's a yes."

Carl tightened his hold of Jason, pulling them together as closely as he could. His heart felt like it was fluttering in his chest, his legs felt weak and he had a surge of happiness. A feeling that was almost alien to him because of the constant feelings of fear, rage and responsibility he felt every day of his life. This was something warm. Something exciting. Something positive. They both needed it and now they both had it.

* * *

><p>Gabriel led Rick, Michonne, Sasha and Bob to a large white building on the other side of the street.<p>

"We're here. This was the food bank." Gabriel told them. "It served the whole country, all the cans at my church were going to end up here."

Rick opened the door and aimed his assault rifle as he slowly walked inside. The others followed closely behind him with their weapons at the ready with Gabriel going in last. The building was quiet with no sign of walkers. Rick walked into the main hall that would have been used for gatherings but could only see clothes racks and discarded clothes on the floor. The place was abandoned.

The sound of water splashing contradicted him. He held his hand up to the others and looked at the large hole in the floor. The sound had come from there. He walked towards the hole in the floor, testing the integrity of the edges with his foot before signalling for the others to join him. Rick peered down the hole. The basement had been flooded with waist deep water and contained all the canned food along with several putrefying walkers. The smell was almost unbearable between the rotting corpses and the stagnant water they splashed around in.

"If a sewer could puke, this is what it'd smell like." Bob commented in disgust.

Michonne looked up and observed several large holes in the roof. The cause of the holes was unknown but the daylight streaming through them explained how the basement ended up flooded.

"Water's been coming down through that hole for a while." She commented, observing the badly decayed walkers. "Slimed this place up good."

"We can use the shelves to block them." Sasha suggested.

"Yeah. That's it, Sasha." Rick agreed with a nod. "There's our way. Down those shelves."

They moved over to the side of the hole with the tallest shelf exposed and prepared to climb down into the wretched abyss of the flooded basement while Gabriel stood watching.

"Hey. I said you're coming with us." Rick told him, earning a shocked look from the priest.

Gabriel was absolutely terrified but did as he was told and edged towards the group to follow them down.

They landed one by one in the stagnant, filthy water. The walkers around the snarled and groaned hungrily upon becoming aware of their presence. Their skin was so water logged and rotted that it looked like it was melting.

"Here they come!" Rick called out as the walkers stumbled towards them.

The group worked together to pull one of the heavy shelves through the water to act as a barrier between them and the ghastly walkers. As the walkers reached the shelves they thrust their arms through the gaps in a failed attempt to grab at Rick and the others. The group used this opportunity to stab the walkers in the forehead with relative safety.

As the walkers advanced slowly Gabriel caught sight of one walker in particular. It had been an older woman in life, her chained reading glasses still adorning her face as she snarled and stumbled closer. Gabriel quivered with fear and guilt upon seeing her and looked for a way to escape. The others were too preoccupied killing the multitude of walkers that were occupying the basement.

Gabriel scrambled past one of the shelves and rushed for the stairs. He tripped on something under the water and flailed his arms to stay afloat and to get back on his feet. The female walker snarled as it slowly followed him. He grabbed onto the stairs and attempted to climb them but they collapsed under his weight from the water damage. Gabriel fell back into the water and gasped as he brought his head back up. The walker was still edging towards him so he backed up until his back was against the wall. He rested his arms on an edge of wood on the wall and hung his head as if on a crucifix.

Rick stabbed a walker in the face with his machete and turned his head to the splashing. He noticed that Gabriel was in distress and quickly stabbed another walker in the face.

"We have to get Gabriel." He called.

"What happened?" Bob asked.

"I don't know!" Rick answered, confused as to why Gabriel had ran off in the first place.

There was still an entire group of walkers on the other side of the shelf. If they moved they would be swarmed and killed.

"Alright, we'll push down the shelf onto the ones in front of us and we'll fight our way to Gabriel." Rick commanded and started pushing at the shelf.

All together the four of them pushed the heavy shelf off balance and sent it crashing down on top of the putrid walkers, pinning them under the water safely. They quickly made their way past the shelf and rushed towards Gabriel.

Gabriel whimpered as the female walker continued to advance towards him, snarling repeatedly as if it were angry.

Sasha pushed one of the walkers against a shelf and stabbed it in the head. Michonne stabbed another in the head but was grabbed by a second. The walker was surprisingly strong for the level of decay its body showed which caused the samurai to struggle against it. Michonne reached behind her and found an egg whisk which she used to cave its head in.

Rick slashed open the head of another walker before grabbing the female walker by the shoulders as she reached Gabriel. He forcefully slammed her face against the steel beam of one of the shelves, smashing her skull to bits before dropping the lifeless body under the water.

Gabriel collapsed in shock, whimpering at the sight of the female walker's head being smashed in as the others finished dispatching the remaining walkers in the basement with them.

Bob made his way over to a box of supplies, smiling confidently.

"I know which way it's gonna break." He declared victoriously.

As he reached over to grab the supply box a rotten hand suddenly erupted out of the water and grabbed his shirt, pulling him down towards it under the water.

"Bob!" Sasha shouted and rushed over to him.

Bob erupted back out of the water, holding onto a walker that looked more like a skeleton than anything else. It had almost rotted away into nothing. He fought with it and forced it towards an exposed pipe as it continued to snap its teeth together in an effort to bite him. Bob forced it onto the pipe, impaling it and holding it in place as Sasha smashed its skull in with a storage container.

"Bob? Bob are you okay?" She asked anxiously, checking him over for bites.

"I'm fine now." Bob answered, visibly shaken.

* * *

><p>Carl and Jason sat on the sofa side by side. They sat much closer together than they ever did before, now comfortable to be close together in private moments. The adrenaline of their confessions to each other and of Carl experiencing his first kisses was still rushing through them but they were gradually calming down.<p>

"I think we should keep this secret from the others for now." Jason told Carl, writing in his notebook.

"Why?" Carl asked innocently. He was happy and proud, so why should he have to hide it?

"It's possible that not everyone will agree with it." Jason answered. "At least not right away."

Carl nodded. He knew there was one person that may not agree with it who they needed to tackle first before anyone else.

"What about my dad?" Carl asked.

"I'll need to think about that." Jason answered. "He scares me."

"He's not a bad guy." Carl defended. "I mean, you're not hurting me. I want this."

"He's still your father." Jason countered.

Jason knew that he would have to justify everything to Rick and further proof himself suitable to take care of Carl. He had no doubt in his mind that Rick would initially be against their newly formed relationship but he hoped that would change with persuasion.

"What are you writing?" Carl asked him, taking interest.

Jason smiled as he answered. "An entry in my diary explaining how special you are."

Carl smiled but also blushed at this. No one had ever called him special before so he wasn't used to such blunt and open affection. He wasn't complaining because it felt incredible to be so appreciated and cared about.

Jason closed his notebook and placed it back in his bag. He leaned back over and kissed Carl on the cheek before standing up. He offered his hand out for Carl to take it, which he did, allowing Jason to pull him up onto his feet.

"Come on, let's help out so the others don't get too suspicious." Jason told him with a smile.

Carl smiled back and nodded before Jason led them back out into the main church hall. Tyreese was cradling Judith in his arms. He had just finished feeding her and was attempting to lull her to sleep. He smiled as the two teens walked past and headed for the door.

Once they were outside they saw that Abraham and Rosita had got the short bus working and had moved it from the back of the church to the front. They were still working on the engine so it probably wasn't completely road worthy yet.

"My dad doesn't trust Father Gabriel." Carl told Jason as they walked together, the sun beating down on them.

"What do you think?" Jason asked openly, his gloved hands in his jacket pockets.

"Not everyone's bad. You're not bad." Carl answered with a shrug. "He doesn't seem like a bad guy."

"Appearances can be deceiving." Jason answered with a smirk. "So let's have a look around and see if we can find any evidence of wrong doing."

Carl nodded. It gave them something reasonably productive to do and it would help pass the time until Rick and the others returned.

* * *

><p>After raiding the basement of all the supplies, Rick and the others had two large trolley loads of food and supplies. Rick and Michonne took charge of one trolley and Bob and Sasha took charge of the other. Father Gabriel walked alongside them as they made their way up the street away from the food bank.<p>

"I'm sorry. I panicked." Gabriel apologised to Rick for what had happened. "I told you, I'm no good around those things."

"Did you know her when she was alive?" Rick asked him bluntly.

Gabriel averted his eyes away from Rick's glare and simply looked ahead of them silently.

"Yeah, I get it." Rick commented sarcastically. "You only tell your sins to God."

* * *

><p>Jason winced in pain as he continued looking around the church grounds. They hadn't found much evidence of anything apart from some scratches on the walls. He still needed a proper rest but he had been too happy about what had happened with Carl to sleep just yet. He limped around looking for any other evidence but it didn't look like anything significant had happened at the church.<p>

"You should rest." Carl told him, walking up to him with a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine." Jason answered with a smile which faded as he moved and winced again.

"You're not though." Carl retorted, placing a hand on Jason's arm upon his wince.

"I'll rest when the others are back, okay?" Jason suggested.

"Fine." Carl accepted with a sigh. He could tell that Jason's stubbornness would be a problem in the future.

* * *

><p>Rick and the others walked down the leaf covered road towards the church, guiding the heavy trolleys with them.<p>

"Do you miss the sword?" Rick asked Michonne.

"It wasn't really mine in the first place." Michonne explained. "I found it in the very beginning."

"How'd you get so good?" Rick asked. Michonne was a master sword wielder.

"It was just me and them out here. All day every day." Michonne answered, referring to the walkers. "Good long time. I don't know what that was but it wasn't life."

Michonne smiled.

"Not like today. Stumbling around in three feet of slime for some peas and carrots? That's living." Michonne commented. "I miss Andrea. I miss Hershel. I don't miss what was before. I don't miss that sword."

With that said they had arrived back at the church. They unloaded the trolleys and lifted the boxes of food and supplies into the church hall. Gabriel was happy to return to his church and the others were happy to finally get to sit down. Tyreese offered his help as Judith was fast asleep.

"Where's Carl and Jason?" Rick asked the large man, having not spotted them.

"Out back looking around." Tyreese answered.

Rick nodded and walked back outside. He turned from the door and went round the side of the church. Sure enough, Carl and Jason were standing together looking at the wall of the church with what appeared to be great interest.

"Hey, Tyreese said you were out back." Rick called to them as he walked up to them. "Come on in, we found food, a lot of it."

"Good." Carl said in response, barely listening.

Rick glanced at Jason who was looking between Rick and the wall.

"What is it?" He asked them.

Carl pointed to the scratches on the blocked window. "Those scratches, they're deep. Knives or something. Someone was trying to get in."

Rick studied the scratches in the wood. Carl was right, these were caused by knives. His suspicions about Father Gabriel were beginning to gain weight.

"I found something else. I don't know what happened but whatever it is, we can handle it." Carl told his dad. "Doesn't mean Gabriel's a bad guy for sure but it means something."

Rick studied what Carl had pointed out. There was a short message scratched into the wood of the church wall with a knife.

YOU'LL BURN FOR THIS.

"This was the only evidence we could find." Jason commented. "He did something."

Rick nodded. This was all the proof he needed to know that something awful had happened. Gabriel had hurt people somehow, enough for them to condemn him to Hell. Between this and the female walker in the food bank Rick was starting to get some idea of what might have happened.

Rick was brought out of his musings by another loud wince of pain from Jason. Jason used his arm to lean against the wall of the church as he hobbled along. Carl's face showed concern and so did Rick's.

"You need to rest." Rick told him. "That ain't gonna heal if you don't rest it."

Jason nodded in acceptance. "I'll take a rest now that you're all back."

"Good. We'll wake you just before dinner." Rick told him with a smile. "You still need to eat."

The three of them made their way past Abraham who was still working on the short bus and entered the church hall. As they entered the hall, Michonne noticed something was different with Jason and Carl. It was subtle but something had changed. She watched as Carl followed Jason into the back office where the sofa was, as if making sure he wouldn't fall down on the way there.

Jason lay down on the sofa, shifting around until he got comfortable. Carl stood over him for a while, refusing to leave until Jason was relaxed and ready to sleep.

"You looking after me now?" Jason teased. "Doctor Grimes?"

Carl giggled at the joke and nodded his head. "Yeah, that's me."

"Well I'll be fine in here." Jason answered, still smiling and joking. "God will watch over me."

Carl laughed at the obvious sarcasm from Jason. "I'll wake you for dinner."

Carl left the office and closed the door behind him. Jason lay back on the sofa and closed his eyes. For the time being he was completely alone and had the opportunity to get a bit of rest. He still couldn't believe what had happened with Carl, though they weren't officially dating he didn't feel these things really needed to be said anymore. Jason felt a pang of guilt at being with Carl despite Kellin being dead. It still felt like cheating to him on some level because if Kellin hadn't died they would still be together.

"_If I ever die, I want you to find someone else who makes you happy. You're not allowed to be lonely and miserable just because I'm gone, okay?"_

Kellin's words rang through his mind as if Kellin himself was standing next to him and saying them into his ear. Jason knew this is what Kellin wanted him to do but it was still difficult for him. It felt like he was letting go or forgetting. There was also the risk of losing Carl like he lost Kellin or leaving Carl all alone should anything happen to him. Unfortunately he knew one of those scenarios was inevitable so he had to make the time they spent together worth it. Something to enjoy, be proud of and treasure in memory. His thoughts slowed down as sleep claimed him.

* * *

><p>After an hour of organising food and supplies had passed, everyone was back in the church. Daryl, Carol, Maggie, Tara, and Glenn had all returned from their runs. Abraham and Rosita had finally finished up work on the short bus and were now sitting in the church with the others. It had been a productive but tiring day and everyone was glad that they could finally rest. While everyone sorted out food, supplies and candles to light up the hall, Carl was elsewhere.<p>

Carl had slipped back inside the office where Jason slept but wasn't intended to wake him right away. His curiosity about the diary passage of Kellin's birthday had gotten the better of him and he wanted to read it. If he was old enough to be with Jason then he was old enough to read whatever was written in that notebook.

He carefully unzipped the back so as to not wake Jason and pulled out the notebook. He flicked through the pages until he found the date he was looking for, the twenty-fifth of November. Carl quickly skimmed through the parts of the passage that referred to how the day had been spent, going out places and talking. Finally he reached the night of that day. The descriptions of what had happened were surprisingly detailed compared to the previous parts of the passage and Carl found a vivid image of that night forming in his mind.

_Jason and Kellin sat down on Jason's bed. They had just got back from the cinema and as Jason's parents were away they had the house to themselves for the whole night. They were laughing at some small jokes Kellin was telling when Jason stopped the laughter momentarily. _

"_Having a good birthday then?" Jason asked the blonde with a smile. _

_Kellin nodded excitedly. "Best I've ever had."_

"_Well, there's still one last present I have to give you." Jason announced with a grin._

"_Oh? What is it?" Kellin asked. He was surprised that Jason had left it until late at night. _

"_Me." Jason announced with a smile and kissed Kellin softly. _

"_But I have you every day, silly." Kellin countered, using one of his many nicknames for Jason. _

"_Not like this." Jason answered._

_Jason then placed his hand on the inside of Kellin's thigh and kissed him strongly, his tongue sliding into Kellin's mouth to battle with Kellin's tongue. As their tongues continued to duel, Jason slowly slid his hand up Kellin's thigh until he was cupping his boyfriend through his jeans. _

_Kellin gasped at the sudden contact. It was rare for them to touch each other so intimately and they had never had full sex before. Kellin's heartbeat shot through the roof when he realised that's what Jason meant by having him. That was the final present of the day. _

_Jason smiled into the kiss as he felt Kellin harden through his jeans and removed his hand so he could pull at Kellin's shirt. He broke the kiss as Kellin raised his arms so his shirt could be pulled off easily and as soon as it hit the floor, Jason went for Kellin's collarbones, kissing and nipping them gently with his teeth. This earned him loud gasps from Kellin as he rubbed his lover's sides, his mouth and tongue finding Kellin's nipples. _

_Kellin let out a moan as he felt Jason's tongue flick and tease at one of his nipples. He was like mush under Jason's loving assault as this wasn't the result of both of them being horny or bored, this was a premeditated gift of love for Kellin's birthday. Another moan left Kellin's mouth as his other nipple received the same treatment. He was aching inside his jeans, knowing that it wouldn't be long before Jason made his way back down there. _

_Soon enough, Jason was kissing his way down Kellin's body until he reached the waistband of his skinny jeans. He undid the belt and button there before pulling them down off his legs. Jason was still fully clothed and he could tell that it frustrated Kellin slightly. He stopped for a moment to pull of his own shirt before returning his attention to Kellin. _

_Kellin let out a hiss of pleasure as Jason grasped him through his boxers, smirking at the reaction he received from his lover. Jason leaned forward and captured his lips again. The kiss was slow and loving as Jason continued to rub him through the fabric of his boxers. _

"_Fuck, Jason!" Kellin hissed as they broke the kiss. "So good!"_

_Jason chuckled lowly at his boyfriend's ecstatic reaction to his actions. _

"_Tonight I'm going to make you mine."_

"Carl!"

Carl jumped so suddenly he thought his head would hit the ceiling. His dad was calling on him, not knowing where he was. If he kept calling out he might wake Jason who would then catch Carl reading the passage. Carl closed the notebook and returned it to Jason's bag, zipping the bag up to leave no sign of his intrusion.

As he stood up he noticed that his legs felt slightly weak and his face was flushed again. He had been enjoying reading about Kellin's final birthday gift and couldn't help but feel disappointed and annoyed that he hadn't been able to finish. Carl took a breath and tried to focus on other things to relax himself.

Carl opened the door to the office and closed it behind him, returning to the church hall that was lit up by candle light. Michonne was the first one to spot him and pointed him out to Rick who quickly made his approach.

"Carl, where were you?" Rick asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Just making sure Jason was okay." Carl answered, trying to hide the slight nervousness that was coursing through him from nearly getting caught.

Rick nodded, glad to see his son was making sure everyone was okay even if it was one at a time.

"We'll wake him in half an hour and then we can all eat." Rick told his son.

Carl nodded to his dad who made his way over to Judith. After a tiring day and having been in the repulsive basement, Rick needed some time with his baby daughter to take his mind off the horrors of the outside world.

Michonne quietly approached Carl with a smirk on her face. "What's going on?"

Carl stared back at her blankly. "What do you mean?"

"You and Jason." Michonne answered, keeping her voice low. "Something's different."

Carl blushed and looked at the floor. He hadn't expected anyone to catch on so quickly, not even Michonne. Michonne tilted her head and smiled as she caught Carl's eyes under his hat.

"Well?" Michonne asked.

"Promise not to tell my dad?" Carl asked her, glancing over at the bearded man who was busy playing with Judith.

"Of course." Michonne replied seriously. She remembered how protective Rick was of Carl.

"We _like_ each other." Carl answered sheepishly. "But we're keeping it a secret for now."

"Why?" Michonne asked. "I don't think the group would care."

"My dad. Jason's scared of him." Carl explained. "Can you help us talk to him?"

Michonne nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder with a smile. "Of course."

Carl's face brightened up, grateful to have such a close friend like Michonne. Somebody smart and strong who he could trust with anything. It was a relief. As he turned to go back to the office, Michonne stopped him.

"Carl." She called lowly, getting his attention. "I'm happy for you. Both of you."

Carl smiled and gave a nod of appreciation before returning to the office where Jason slept.

* * *

><p><em>He couldn't remember how they had got into this position. It had all been a blur. A kiss or a touch in a sensitive place that had made him lose control. All Jason knew was that they were in the office and Carl was beneath him, shirtless with his slim torso on display for him. Carl was lying back on the sofa while Jason straddled him, kissing his neck and grinding their hips together. <em>

_Jason considered if it was too soon but it was obvious Carl wanted it. He could feel it. Carl was as hard as he was. The moans that left Carl's mouth drove him crazy. He needed to hear more. He kept in mind he would need to take it slow. This was Carl's first time and it couldn't be rushed. _

_As he reached lower to undo Carl's jeans a strong pair of hands gripped his shoulders causing him to hiss in surprise and pain. Whoever had grabbed him pulled him off Carl and threw him against the wall of the office, the force of the impact making his head slam against the wall. _

_Jason shook his head to clear the dizzying effect of the brief meeting between the wall and his head and looked up. Rick stood over him. His eyes were ice cold as they glared at him furiously. Rick's face and hands were shaking with rage. Just like they had that night with the Claimers._

"_I told you not to touch him." Rick snarled. "I warned you."_

_Jason held his hands up defensively. Fear was shooting through him, his heart racing and his hands shaking like jelly. _

"_Rick, I wasn't doing anything he didn't want!" Jason pleaded quickly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."_

_Rick's expression didn't change. He had made his mind up or he had let the beast inside him make the decisions. The former cop unsheathed his machete and gripped the handle firmly. Jason felt his blood run cold._

"_Rick! Please don't!" Jason cried in fear. "I'm begging you! I'd never hurt Carl!"_

_Jason screamed in terror as Rick growled and swung the machete down onto him, hacking into him repeatedly._

* * *

><p>Jason awoke suddenly, his body shaking with the feeling of a pair of hands on his chest. Sweat was running down his forehead, his heart was pounding and his hands were shaking. It had been a nightmare. He was alive. He turned his head and realised the pair of hands on his chest belonged to Carl.<p>

"You okay?" Carl asked him. His nightmare had obviously been visible to Carl.

Jason nodded slowly, taking a breath. "Yeah, just a nightmare. That's all."

"What happened?" Carl asked. He wanted to know what kind of nightmare could make Jason squirm and cry out like that.

Jason gazed into Carl's eyes for a moment. He could be honest and say the nightmare had been of Rick hacking him to death for having a sexual encounter with his son or he could cover it up.

"I lost you." Jason lied, taking one of Carl's hands in his own and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Well, I'm here." Carl answered, not really sure of how to respond. He squeezed back.

Jason smiled and gave Carl a quick but gentle kiss before he sat up. Carl still wasn't used to being kissed by anyone outside of his family. He always froze and blushed when Jason kissed him unexpectedly.

"Time for dinner, I'm guessing?" Jason asked him as he stood up, wincing slightly as he applied weight to his leg.

Carl nodded, the question bringing him back to reality. "Yeah."

Jason rubbed Carl's back with one hand and smiled. "Come on then."

They separated themselves and headed out of the office into the church hall to join the others.

* * *

><p>The church hall was alive with conversation and the sound of metal cutlery knocking against plates and bowls. Various cans of food had been opened and emptied into bowls where everyone could help themselves to what it was they wanted. The candles that lit the hall cast strange, deformed shadows on the walls as the group conversed and consumed their dinner. One of the most striking sounds was that of laughter. They often had so few opportunities to laugh that it was a momentous occasion when they could, no matter how small or simple the cause of the laughter was.<p>

Rick sat with Judith in his arms as he fed her. She had also decided to feed Rick and would place food in his mouth. Jason thought it was one of the most adorable things he had ever seen and it gave him a glimpse of the man Rick used to be before the world ended.

"I'd like to propose a toast." Abraham called out, standing over them as the others seated themselves.

Jason and Carl quickly filled their plates and sat down together to listen to what Abraham had to say along with everyone else.

"I look around this room and I see survivors. Each and every one of you has earned that title." Abraham announced and held up his glass of wine. "To the survivors!"

"To the survivors!" Everyone repeated with him, lifting their glasses as well.

"Is that all you want to be? Wake up in the morning, fight the undead pricks, forage for food then sleep at night two eyes open rinse and repeat?" Abraham asked them all. "Because you can do that. I mean you got the strength, you got the skill."

Carol looked over at the door of the church while Abraham spoke.

"Thing is, are you people for what you can do? Might as well just surrender." Abraham explained. "Now when we get Eugene to Washington he will make the dead die and the living will have this world again and that is not a bad takeaway for a little road trip."

Everyone fell silent at this. If it was true it would certainly be worth the journey. Everyone had their doubts on whether it was true or even if it was how the world could recover from such an awful event. Jason considered it. If he could help save the world so that not only could he and Carl be together for years to come but also so that Carl could see his baby sister grow up, that was worth any risk.

"Eugene, what's in DC?" Abraham asked the scientist who sat on one of the pews.

"Infrastructure designed to resist pandemics of even this FUBAR magnitude." Eugene answered. "That means food, fuel, refuge. Restart."

Abraham smirked. "However this plays out, however long it takes for the reset button to kick in you can be safe there. Safer than you've been since this whole thing started."

Abraham stared down at Rick who sat with Judith in his arms.

"Come with us. Save the world for that little one." Abraham pleaded to him. "Save it for yourselves. Save it for the people out there. Don't got nothing left to do except survive."

Silence fell again. Rick noticed that no one appeared to have any objections nor could they vocalize anything in favour of the mission. He smiled. Judith gargled out a sound at him.

"What was that?" He asked his baby daughter, earning a laugh from the others. "I think she knows what I'm about to say."

Judith cooed again.

"She's in. If she's in then I'm in." Rick answered with a grin. "We're in."

Laughter and applause echoed around them. They were going to go to Washington DC and end the apocalypse. While everyone else was distracted, Jason slid his hand down and squeezed Carl's without looking at him. To him this meant a chance for Carl to have a normal life again. Experience some of the things that otherwise would only ever be dreams to him, fantasies of an alien world. That was something worth fighting for.

Sasha kissed Bob, both of them smiling.

"Okay, I'm not going to let my brother be the only one that gets to hold that baby!" She declared to him happily.

"Wait." Bob stopped her, gazing into her eyes. "One more."

They kissed again, this time for longer. When they broke apart and Sasha walked away, Bob closed his eyes and lowered his head to hide the tears threatening to fall. He stood up and headed for the door while Sasha held Judith.

Tara sat herself down beside Maggie nervously.

"You okay?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah, yeah." Tara answered quickly while she gathered her mental strength.

"I was at the prison with the Governor." Tara confessed, shaking. "I didn't know who he was or what he could do. I didn't know who all of you were."

Maggie's face fell with shock. The memories of that day coming back to her. The slaughtering of their friends, the loss of their home and the decapitation of her father.

"I just didn't want it to be hidden." Tara told her. "That I was there."

"You're here with us now." Maggie answered weakly and hugged the younger woman.

Rick walked over and sat himself down next to Father Gabriel.

"Thanks for the hospitality." Rick commented. "I'm surprised you let us drink your communion wine."

"There isn't anyone left to take communion. The wine is just wine until it's blessed." Gabriel answered and took a swig of the wine bottle.

Rick noticed how sombre Gabriel was being. It was clear between that, the mention of communion, the female walker and the writing on the outside wall that the priest had dark secrets.

"It's pretty obvious that you're hiding something." Rick told him. "And it's pretty obvious that it's something you can't hide from."

Gabriel's face fell as he stared off into space. Rick was right.

"That's your business." Rick continued. "But these people? These people are my family and if what you're hiding somehow hurts them in any way, _I'll kill you_."

A small distance away from the rest of the group, Jason and Carl sat together. Jason had deliberately led them away for a while and Carl was curious to find out why. Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out two necklaces that he had taken from the Terminus store room. Each one of the necklaces was one half of the Chinese Yin-Yang symbol. Jason handed Carl the Yang necklace.

"These symbols mean different things. This one stands for light, for goodness." Jason explained as he placed it in Carl's hand. "You are my light in this dark world."

"What does your one mean?" Carl asked with interest.

"Mine stands for darkness and submission." Jason explained. "It will symbolise my inner pain and that I trust you with my heart."

Carl couldn't help but smile as he put the necklace on and concealed it under his shirt just as Jason did with his own. This was one of the most unique and meaningful gifts he had ever been given in his life and certainly since the apocalypse had started. It was a hidden, physical symbol of their relationship. He didn't know for sure if he could call what they had a relationship but whatever their connection was it was theirs. It was private for now. It was something that made him happy and made him feel complete. That's all that mattered.

* * *

><p><strong>So there we have it. Chapter 10 is complete and has turned out to be one of the most significant chapters of the story. I was quite anxious when writing this one because of all the different ways people could take to the advance in Jason and Carl's relationship. Hopefully I've written it well over the last 9 chapters so that this one feels like a natural conclusion. Let me know in your commentsreviews what your thoughts are on this chapter. **

**Thanks for all the follows/subscriptions/bookmarks/kudos etc.**

**Thanks to the reviewers of chapter 9: rk0192, Madison188, Paty S, Sara P, LittleMissToughStaff and jar98. **

**Chapter 11 will be the return of the Termites. All this light heartedness can't be allowed to last, after all. :P**


	11. Darkness & Light

**DARKNESS AND LIGHT**

The late night dinner and celebrations were continuing in the church hall, illuminated by candle light. The sounds of conversation and laughter continued to echo within its walls as the group enjoyed the spoils of the recent supply run and the safety of the church itself. It was an atmosphere of joy that repelled the fear of the outside. It was the light in the darkness.

Rick sat with Tyreese and Sasha while they played with baby Judith. The baby was a constant reminder of hope and innocence to them and any time that could be enjoyed was taken. Michonne also took a turn cradling Judith and interacting with the small child. The pain of her dead son was there but her interaction with Judith showed that she had finally moved on. Everyone was either laughing or smiling.

Everyone except for Gabriel. He sat at the front desk in the hall and opened the drawer. He pulled out a framed photo of himself with a woman. The woman wore glasses with a chain around her neck, she was beautiful and had played the organ during his services. Unknown to anyone else, he had been romantically involved with her which would have been frowned upon by the community and the congregation. Gabriel hated himself for what had done. Seeing her in the food bank basement, dead and rotting was the most horrific thing he would ever see in his life.

Inside Gabriel's office where the sofa was located, Jason had his back against the door and his arms around Carl. His hands rubbed up and down Carl's back affectionately, the sheriff hat on the floor so that their lips could connect easier. After giving Carl the necklace and explaining the meaning behind it along with the meaning behind his own, the younger teen had wanted some alone time. Jason had thought it would be to talk but it turned out Carl had enjoyed his first couple kisses and had wanted more.

That was how Jason found himself with his back pinned against the office door as his tongue battled Carl's, his hands rubbing the other's back. He was mindful not to rub too low as he didn't want to touch Carl inappropriately. He couldn't complain, kissing Carl was something he could never get tired of. The intensity of the kisses had decreased as Carl's inexperience meant his stamina didn't match Jason's and his jaw ached a little. Jason broke the kiss and held Carl close, his hands ceasing their rubbing.

"We should get back to the others." Jason told him, kissing the top of his head.

"Don't want to." Carl said, more into the top of Jason's chest than to Jason directly.

"They'll start wondering where we are." Jason justified it, rubbing his back again.

Although one of his concerns was the others looking for them, specifically Rick, and for them to get caught, his real concern was his self-control. It took a lot of will power not to feel more of Carl's body than limiting it to his back. Jason knew if he let his hands go anywhere else then things would simply escalate and he couldn't allow that to happen. It was far too soon.

"Why don't we ask Daryl about teaching you to use the crossbow?" Jason suggested with a smile. "We have a spare bow and he did promise you before, didn't he?"

Carl smiled and nodded. "Yeah, he did."

Carl had momentarily forgotten all about that promise. He had pushed it from his mind when he believed everyone to be dead and with everything that happened at Terminus he had completely forgot. They had a spare that belonged to the Claimers and if Carl could learn how to use it then it could end up his. He smiled at the thought. Between the crossbow and Michonne's sword training, he was going to be a silent walker killer.

Jason ruffled Carl's hair and broke apart their embrace. He went over to grab his bag. Carl didn't leave the office right away. Observing the bag reminded him of Jason's notebook and the passage he had been reading before Rick had called on him.

"Can I read some of your diary again sometime?" Carl asked, a little nervous from his secret guilt.

Jason smiled back and nodded. "Of course."

Jason trusted Carl enough to let him in and let him read about the life he had before they met, before Kellin died. He wouldn't trust anyone else with such in-depth information. It was one of the things that made Carl special amongst all the people he had met. He knew there were certain passages he had to make sure Carl couldn't read, however, as they were too mature for his eyes.

Carl was the first to leave the office, slipping out as quietly as he could to avoid attracting anyone's attention. Jason had explained to him earlier that if they were to be together they had to be subtle about it to avoid the other's noticing. Carl made his way back to the group and listened to their conversations while having a drink of juice. Five minutes later Jason also emerged from the office and sat down on one of the church pews.

Once Carl had finished his juice they both went on the lookout together for Daryl. It was immediately clear that he wasn't in the church hall or any of the side rooms. They looked out the windows but couldn't see anyone in the church grounds either. Daryl was missing.

"Dad, have you seen Daryl?" Carl asked as he approached his father.

Rick looked around. He had been so busy talking to the others and taking care of Judith he had failed to notice the archer's absence.

"Wasn't he with Carol?" Rick questioned aloud.

"She's missing too." Jason added, looking around.

Just as Rick was about to answer, Sasha came bursting through the front doors of the church, running up the hall towards the group.

"I can't find Bob anywhere!" She told them anxiously. "He's gone!"

Rick stood up and walked over to the table they kept the gun bag and ammo on.

"Alright, you, me and Tyreese will head out to look for them." Rick explained, grabbing a flashlight.

"He can't be far." Tyreese reassured his younger sister.

The three of them grabbed some guns and headed out the doors, leaving the others inside the church. Father Gabriel looked on with a mix of fear and guilt as the doors closed behind them.

* * *

><p>"Bob!" Sasha called out quietly.<p>

She made her way between the tress, a powerful rifle with a night vision scope in her hands. The woodland was almost total darkness and there was no sign of her lover anywhere. On the tree trunk next to her she noticed a line had been carved into it with a knife. It looked like a mark for navigation. Someone was watching them.

The snarl of a walker echoed in the darkness along with the snap of a twig. Sasha spun round and aimed her rifle. With the night scope she could see someone disappear into the dense forest in the distance. Whoever was watching them had just got away again. There was nothing else. Just darkness and the constant chorus from the grasshoppers.

She turned her aim to her right just in time to spot a walker lunge at her from the darkness. It tried to grab her but she backed away and pushed it against the tree trunk, knocking it to the floor. A second walker approached from behind the first, snarling as it got closer to the woman. Sasha fired her rifle, shooting the walker in the head before slamming the bottom of the rifle into the head of the first one to crush its skull.

Suddenly an arm came from behind her and grabbed her, the hand wrapping round her mouth to muffle her scream of surprise.

"Sh, it's me!" Tyreese said lowly before releasing her.

Rick stood with Tyreese, flashlight in hand as they checked their surroundings. Sasha took deep breaths to get her breathing back to normal after the fright Tyreese gave her.

"He's getting away!" She told them, referring to the person she had seen through the night scope.

"Who?" Tyreese asked, having not seen signs of anyone in the darkness.

"Somebody was watching us!" Sasha declared anxiously, looking towards the forest.

"If we go in there now, someone's not coming back." Tyreese warned.

Rick aimed his gun in that direction along with his flashlight, looking for any signs of life.

"Bob is out there somewhere!" Sasha pleaded. "Scared! Alone!"

"Maybe not alone." Rick answered. "Daryl and Carol are missing too."

There had been no signs of any of the three missing group members.

Jason and Carl sat next to one another on one of the church pews with Judith by Carl's side. Like the rest of the group, all they could do is wait for the search party to come back. The sound of the church doors opening made them turn their heads in the hopes of seeing six walk in instead of three. Their hopes were quickly dashed as only Rick, Tyreese and Sasha returned. Sasha immediately walked up to Father Gabriel who was moving some things around on his desk.

"Stop! What are you doing?" She asked the confused priest. "_What are you doing?_"

She took a step closer to him.

"This is all connected. You show up, we're being watched." Sasha accused. "And now three of us are gone!"

Gabriel looked flustered as all the group's eyes were focused on him, penetrating him like daggers.

"I…I don't…I don't have anything to do with this." He defended weakly.

Sasha pulled out her knife. Gabriel jumped back. Rosita rushed to stop her but was held back by Abraham.

"Stop!" Maggie shouted.

"Sasha, put it away!" Tyreese called out.

"Where…?" Sasha began but was interrupted by Gabriel.

"I don't…"

"Where are our people?"

"I don't have anything do with this."

"_Where are our people?!"_ Sasha bellowed at the top of her lungs.

"Please, I don't have anything to do with this." Gabriel continued to defend himself calmly with his hands up.

Rick grabbed Sasha's arm and gently pulled her away from the priest before taking her place in front of him. He studied Gabriel's expression and glared into his eyes.

"Why'd you bring us here?" Rick asked him.

Gabriel shook his head nervously. They were the ones who had asked him to bring them to the church. He didn't know what he was being accused of with Rick's question.

"Are you working with someone?" Rick asked, taking a step forward.

"I'm alone! I'm alone!" Gabriel answered nervously. "I was always alone!"

"What about the woman in the food bank, Gabriel?" Rick interrogated. "What did you do to her?"

Gabriel couldn't answer, pain shooting through his face at the mention of the woman.

"_You'll burn for this_. That was for you. Why? What are you going to burn for, Gabriel?" Rick continued.

Rick grabbed the priest by his collar and pinned him against his desk, glaring daggers into his eyes as he continued his interrogation.

"What did you do?" Rick snarled, losing his patience before bellowing. "_What did you do?!_"

Gabriel's lips quivered as emotions threatened to burst out. He knew he had no choice to explain what happened. The grief and the guilt came bubbling to the surface, turning him into a nervous wreck.

"I lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night, I always lock the doors at night!" Gabriel fought back the tears. "They started coming, my congregation. Atlanta was bombed the night before and they were scared. They were looking for a safe place, a place where they felt safe."

Gabriel looked around, his eyes momentarily meeting Jason's. Jason's expression was beginning to change as the horrific explanation that was about to be told started to sink in.

"And it was so early, it was so early. The doors were still locked. You see, it was my choice." Gabriel explained nervously. "But there were so many of them, they were trying to pry the shutters and banging on the sidings. Screaming at me and so the dead came for them."

Jason's expression changed from that of horror to utter disgust. This priest, this supposed man of God had locked his congregation out of the church. He had locked them out and left them for dead. Gabriel saw Jason's expression and the look on everyone else's faces.

"Women. Children. Entire families calling my name as they were torn apart. Begging me for mercy, begging me for mercy. Damming me to Hell." Gabriel whimpered. "I buried their bones, I buried it all. The Lord sent you here to finally punish me."

Everyone was speechless. The group were a mix of shock, horror and rage at the priest in front of them. He had let entire families be torn apart when all he had to do was turn a key to save them. Gabriel dropped to the ground, whimpering and shaking.

"I'm damned. I was damned before." Gabriel finished, crying. "I always locked the doors. _I always locked the doors!_"

Sasha sheathed her knife and looked down on Father Gabriel with utter disdain. Jason stayed seated next to Carl, both of them in complete shock at what they had just heard. They all had their demons, all of them had done things they weren't proud of. This was different. This was a horrific act of selfishness.

The sound of someone whistling came from outside. The person kept whistling loudly until Glenn finally made his way over and looked out the window.

"There's something." Glenn announced. "There's someone outside lying on the grass!"

Most of the group rushed out to inspect the body lying on the grass. Sasha cried out his name when she realised it was Bob, who was unconscious but alive. Snarls from around them announced the arrival of walkers to the area.

"His leg!" Maggie pointed out in horror. The lower half of his left leg was gone.

"Get Bob inside, we'll take care of him!" Glenn called out.

The Asian man rushed for the closest walker and smacked the handle of his rifle into its skull, cracking its forehead and knocking it to the ground with a hiss. Maggie stabbed a walker in the head with her knife while Sasha and Tara lifted Bob off the grass towards the church.

Rick was about to pistol whip another walker with his revolver but the walker received a bullet beforehand. The echo of a rifle sounded around them. Rick fired into the woods in the direction of the bullet. Someone was shooting at them.

"Get inside!" He barked to the others.

Once Bob was inside the gunshots ceased. Rick quickly made his way back inside, failing to notice the letter "A" painted on the church wall with blood.

Once they had got Bob inside and on the floor he had started to wake up. The group gathered round him in horror at the condition he was in. The lower segment of his left leg was gone but the stump was bandaged and his lip was burst open and bleeding down his chin. He looked physically weak and drained. Eventually the question of what had happened was asked.

"I was in a graveyard, somebody knocked me out, I woke up outside this place, looked like a school." Bob explained, breathing heavily from the pain. "It was that guy, Gareth and five other ones. They were eating my leg right in front of me, like it was nothing. All proud like they had it all figured out."

This revelation came as a shock to the group. Rick glared as he thought about it. He had made the right call in demanding that they go back and kill all of the Termites but no one wanted to. Bob had lost a leg because no one but Jason had agreed with him. They had let the Governor escape only for him to come back and kill Hershel. They had let the Termites escape only for them to come back and eat Bob's leg. Now they were all in danger.

"Did they have Daryl and Carol?" Rick asked Bob, needing to know where they were.

"Gareth said they drove off." Bob answered.

This next revelation confused most of the group. Rick recalled Daryl mentioning that Beth had been taken by some people in a car and could only assume that was who he and Carol had gone after. The two of them wouldn't abandon the group like that otherwise.

Bob groaned and gasped in pain as he tried to sit up. Agony shot through his leg and up his body almost overwhelming him.

"He's in pain, do we have anything?" Sasha asked Rosita.

"I think there are pill packets in the first aid kit." Rosita answered with a nod.

"Save them!" Bob countered.

"No!" Sasha argued, not letting her lover refuse treatment.

"Really!" Bob retorted loudly.

He stared at Sasha's hurt face. She was so filled with pain and panic and confusion. He didn't want to make that any worse but he was about to. He had no choice but to do that to keep them all safe. Bob rolled down his shirt off his right shoulder revealing a fresh bite. He looked back at Sasha. She was stunned. She was frozen in place with her mouth agape in shock and horror. Bob had been bitten. Her lover had been bitten and there was nothing that could be done.

"It happened at the food bank." Bob explained, looking back at all the confused faces.

The group fell into a morbid silence at the realisation that their friend was going to die. Bob and Sasha began quietly crying together. This would be their final night together and they weren't ready for it. Bob suddenly collapsed back, the pain and the stress making him temporarily lose consciousness.

"There's a sofa in my office." Gabriel spoke up. "I know it's not much but…"

"Thank you." Sasha replied gratefully.

"I got it." Tyreese announced, standing up and moving over to Bob to lift him.

Rick shifted over to Gabriel. They had to take care of the Termites as soon as possible if they wanted to survive.

"Do you know the place Bob was talking about?" Rick asked, intensity in his eyes.

"It's an elementary school." Gabriel answered. "It's close."

"How close?" Rick asked quickly, they needed to know and Gabriel looked nervous. "How close, Gabriel?"

"It's just a ten minute walk through the woods from here due south of the graveyard." Gabriel explained.

Jason considered the situation that was unfolding around them. The Termites were back and they were only a ten minute walk away from where they slept. From where Judith slept. From where Carl slept. The threat had to be dealt with and everyone had to be kept safe in the process.

"Carl, take Judith and go into the office." Jason told him, working out a plan.

"Why?" Carl asked. They all had guns, they were safe where they were.

"Because all it takes is for them to kick open those doors and start shooting." Jason answered, considering the worst case scenario. "Judith could get hit. _You_ could get hit. Hide in the office, it's safer."

Carl accepted the explanation and picked up Judith's basket. The baby started to cry after her sleep had been disturbed by all the commotion. Carl tried to sooth her but was more focused on getting her into the office with Bob. Jason remained out in the hall.

"Does he have a fever?" Rick asked Maggie, who had just checked on the unconscious Bob.

"He's just warm." Maggie answered, not sure how long he would last.

"Jim lasted almost two days before we left him." Glenn added. The problem with bites is that the death and reanimation speed varied wildly.

"Time for a reality check!" Abraham declared. "We all need to leave for DC. Right now!"

"Daryl and Carol are gonna be back." Rick countered. "We're not going anywhere without them."

"I respect that but there is a clear threat to Eugene here. I need to extract his ass before things get any uglier." Abraham explained. "So if you all won't come, good luck to you. We'll go our separate ways."

Abraham turned and marched towards the door. It would be dangerous to go out there not knowing where the Termites were lurking.

"You going on foot?" Rick challenged.

"We fixed that damn bus ourselves." Abraham answered, turning to face him.

"There are a lot more of us." Rick responded, walking up the soldier.

"You wanna keep it that way? You should come." Abraham retorted.

"Carol saved your life, we saved your life!" Rick snarled. He couldn't believe the lack of loyalty.

"And I am trying to save yours!" Abraham bellowed back impatiently. "Save everyone's!"

"We're not going anywhere without our people." Rick defended decisively.

"Your people took off!" Abraham spat.

"They're coming back!" Rick spat back angrily.

"To what?! Picked over bones?!" Abraham shouted back.

Rick tried to grab Abraham's arm. "You're not…!"

Abraham knocked Rick's arm away from his own. "Do not lay hands!" He bellowed aggressively.

"Abraham!" Rosita called to the muscular man. She knew his short fuse often got the better of him.

"Hey! Hey! Stop now!" Glenn shouted, getting in between the two alpha males. "Do you really think you're going to be any safer leaving right now? In the middle of the night?"

"Yeah. Yeah." Abraham answered.

"What about tomorrow? We need each other for this!" Glenn pleaded. "We need each other to get to DC! We can get through all of it together!"

"I have an idea." Tara told them, stepping up. "If you stay just one more day and help, I'll go with you to DC. No matter what."

"Glenn and Maggie too." Abraham declared. He knew them best and trusted them.

"No." Rick growled.

"Good luck then. I'm not interested in breaking up what you have here." Abraham answered. "Rosita, grab your gear."

"Abraham…" Rosita started.

"Now!" Abraham barked. "Eugene, let's go!"

Eugene didn't budge from the pew he was sitting on.

"Eugene. Move it!" Abraham barked.

"I don't want to." Eugene answered hesitantly.

"Now!" Abraham growled.

"Kay." Eugene whispered in defeat and stood up.

Jason hobbled over to them, gritting his teeth in irritation. He understood that Abraham had his mission but he was deliberately making everyone weaker and by doing so was jeopardising Carl's safety and potential future. His speech at dinner had given them hope, a plan. He was pushing them away from it.

"You know what? You're a fucking idiot if you think going out there right now is a good idea!" Jason called out aggressively.

"It's a damn sight better than staying here!" Abraham barked back.

"Those people could be right outside the front door. You could be marching into a fucking bullet storm." Jason hissed back, continuing his approach.

"If we stay here they can surround us." Abraham argued. "I'm not about to be a goddamned sitting duck!"

"We have twice as many able bodied people as they do!" Jason barked back. "And we can bottleneck them in here!"

"Or we get slaughtered!" Abraham bellowed. "This ain't some fucking movie!"

"And you're not much of a soldier!" Jason countered aggressively.

Abraham lowered his rifle and took a couple steps towards Jason. He was not about to take that sort of insult from some young punk. Before he could reach the young man, Glenn stood between them and placed a hand on Abraham's chest to stop him. He glared down at Glenn and to Rick, who stood with his hand on the handle of his Colt Python. Things were about to get violent.

Abraham snarled and stepped back. "We're leaving."

Rosita and Eugene headed for the door as Abraham followed behind them. Rick glared at them as they made their way down the church hall.

"You're not taking the bus." Rick said sternly.

Abraham stopped walking and turned sideways. "Try to stop me."

Rick thought about it. That was obviously what it was going to take to stop them leaving. He was protecting his family, his children. He was not going to let Abraham's arrogance put them in danger. He started walking towards Abraham. Abraham gave his gun to Rosita and marched towards the ex-sheriff.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Glenn shouted and got between the two alpha males again.

He turned to Abraham. "You stay. You stay and help us and we will go with you."

"No." Rick argued. He didn't want his people splitting up.

"It's not your call." Glenn retorted.

Glenn turned back to Abraham. "You stay. You help us."

Abraham thought for a moment before nodding. "Half a day. Come high noon we're tail lights. I'm not waiting for the other damn shoe to drop."

"Then we will leave with you." Maggie added.

Abraham nodded as silence fell around them. "Twelve hours then we go."

Abraham picked up his rifle and walked away from the door. He walked past Rick and stopped as he reached Jason.

"Ever speak to me like that again and I'll break your jaw." He growled, not forgetting the offence caused.

"Then don't give me a reason to." Jason growled back. He wasn't about to back down to anyone, not even Abraham.

* * *

><p>Bob lay on the sofa in Gabriel's office while Sasha cleaned up his burst lip.<p>

"You know the one good thing about getting kicked in my face?" Bob asked weakly. "Made me forget the pain in my leg and my side so two good things."

"We're not playing that game anymore." Sasha answered. She didn't want to come to terms with Bob's approaching death.

"Well, all things considered I figured you could humour me a little bit." Bob answered with a weak smile.

Sasha looked at the floor. "Why didn't you tell me when it happened?"

"I knew that when I told you it would become all about the end." Bob answered, holding her hand. "And I really liked the middle."

Sasha couldn't help but cry which in turn caused Bob to cry. Bob squeezed her hand before she gently rested her head on his chest. His time was running out.

Jason rested his back against the wall of the other side room, dropping his bag to the floor. He had left the office along with Carl in order to give Sasha and Bob some time alone while the rest of the group planned out how to deal with the Termites. He couldn't help but feel the sting of tears in his eyes and quickly wiped them away, breathing deeply to keep his emotions under control. He closed his eyes as he took his breaths and opened them when he felt a hand squeeze his own.

Jason opened his eyes and realised it was Carl who was holding his hand. Carl's expression was one of curiosity and concern. It was obvious he wanted to ask Jason what was wrong but at the same time didn't want to speak in case he upset the older teen any more than he already was.

"Sorry. Seeing Bob and Sasha like that…It reminds me too much of Kellin…" Jason's lip quivered upon the mention of the name so he looked away.

Jason looked back when he felt Carl's arms wrap around him. He instinctively wrapped his own arms around the smaller boy's form and rubbed the back of his head, stroking his hair with one hand while rubbing his back with the other.

"I can't bear the thought of that happening to you." Jason continued, holding Carl tighter. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you alive and safe."

Carl hugged Jason tighter but moved his head to look up at the older teen.

"That won't happen." Carl answered. "We'll keep each other safe."

Jason smiled weakly at Carl's innocent confidence. It wasn't a hope or a promise. It was a statement. He wouldn't let anything happen because he didn't want to lose what they had. Jason lowered his head and kissed Carl softly. It was a gentle kiss of acceptance that quickly was returned by Carl. The kiss slowly deepened into a more loving, passionate lip lock before they separated. Jason pulled him close again and rubbed his back. He wouldn't let anyone harm Carl or let anyone break them apart.

Rick stood at the front of the church hall with the rest of the group. He had formed a plan that he was sure would work. As Jason had rightfully pointed out earlier, there were more of them than there were Termites. They could surround and kill them with little difficulty as they wouldn't expect the group to know where they were hiding.

"They think they're in control." Rick explained. "We're in here and they could be anywhere but we know exactly where they are."

Everyone was busy reloading and checking their weapons.

"Plan's got stones, I'll give you that." Abraham commented.

"Make our move before they do." Glenn confirmed.

"That's right." Rick nodded. "They're not counting on us thinking straight."

"Are we?" Rosita challenged. "I'm just making sure because it's a big play."

Rick walked up to her from where he was, tilting his head as he stared at her. They needed to be strong. They needed to have conviction. There was no room for doubt.

"Remember what these people are capable of." Rick reminded her.

"I'm coming too." Jason's voice sounded from the office door as he checked his gun was loaded.

Rick turned to him. "No."

Jason hobbled over with a confused look on his face.

"You need all the help you can get with this." He argued.

"Yeah." Rick answered with a nod, squaring up to the younger man. "That's why I need you here. Help keep everyone else safe."

"I'd listen if I were you." Abraham interjected. "No point losing your life trying to play the hero."

Jason gave Abraham a narrow eyed glare but under Rick's cold, uncompromising and decisive gaze he relented. There was no way Rick was going to let him walk through those church doors and he knew that. He sighed and nodded.

Rick looked over at Tyreese who was staring at the floor a small distance away from them.

"Tyreese?" Rick called.

"Yeah." Came the short response.

"You up for this?" Rick asked him.

Tyreese thought about it. He was a peaceful man. He detested violence and would only kill walkers if he had no other choice. To strategically go out, surround and slaughter a group of living people was almost too much for him to stand. He understood they were horrible people, cannibals who would kill indiscriminately but he refused to let go of his humanity.

"I'm going with you." Sasha declared, coming out of the office from behind Jason.

"You should stay with Bob." Tyreese told his younger sister.

"No." Sasha shook her head. "I wanna be out there. I wanna be a part of this."

Sasha disappeared back into the office but was followed by Tyreese. She sat down at Bob's bedside and admired his sleeping face. Her first love since the world ended was about to be taken from her. She didn't think she'd love anyone else after him either.

"I know how it feels but this right here, time you could have with him, you can't throw that away." Tyreese told her with a shake of his head. "I wish I had it with Karen."

"Do you remember how you felt, what you wanted to do?" Sasha challenged.

When Tyreese had discovered Karen's burnt corpse in the prison, he had flown completely off the handle. He wanted to find the person who did it so he could beat them to death.

"Yeah. It made it so I couldn't see it." Tyreese answered with a nod. "Forgiveness. That's facing it."

"I should forgive them? For hurting him? For trying to kill us?" Sasha asked incredulously. "The hell is wrong with you? You think we have a choice?"

"Not all of us. Just you." Tyreese answered. "When he opens his eyes the only thing he's going to want to see is your face."

Sasha stood up and handed Tyreese her knife.

"Take it." Sasha told him, placing it in his hand. "If he stops breathing you put it through his temple. That's what Bob would want."

With that said, Sasha walked past her older brother, leaving him in the office with Bob and the others, while she joined Rick, Abraham, Michonne, Maggie, Glenn and Tara to go and take care of the Termites.

Tyreese, Gabriel, Eugene, Rosita, Judith, Carl, and Jason remained in the office with the door locked. Bob was still asleep on the sofa. They hoped the others would return sooner rather than later with the good news that the Termites had been executed and the threat had been eliminated. They expected to be waiting for about half an hour as they all knew Rick wouldn't hesitate to slaughter all of them once they came across them.

The church was silent. The church was wrapped in darkness. All they could do was sit and wait. Fortunately Judith was sleeping and Bob was still breathing so they didn't have any problems or potential dangers. Everyone was wrapped up in their own thoughts. Jason noticed how distant Carl's mind was.

"Hey." He whispered. "Why don't I let you read more of my diary while we wait?"

Carl smiled and nodded. Despite the serious situation they were in, a bit of reading to pass the time wouldn't go amiss. It would also keep him awake and stimulated. Jason smiled and looked around for his bag but quickly realised it wasn't in the office. He recalled that he had gone into the side room to give Bob and Sasha some space and had dropped it to the floor. Jason had forgotten about it after being intimate with Carl and hearing Rick's plans.

He stood up and unlocked the door to the office, earning a questioning hiss from Rosita.

"I'm just getting my bag from the other room." Jason explained, opening the door. "Nothing is going to happen in the next thirty seconds anyway."

Rosita relented and let him leave. He closed the door behind him and headed across the church hall to the other side room. Jason opened the door and closed it over behind him while his eyes scanned the floor. He spotted his bag and picked it up.

That's when he heard it. The unmistakable sound of wood splintering as the front door of the church was broken down. His blood ran cold. This either meant that Rick and the others had somehow been killed or the Termites had slipped past them. He quickly locked the door and prayed the others did the same. He took out his gun and flicked the safety off, aiming at the door.

In the office, the others also heard the door break open. Carl flicked the safety off his gun and aimed at the door. Rosita prepared her shotgun. Gabriel clung to his cross necklace and silently prayed for help. Carl didn't like that Jason was now separated from them. He hoped Jason had the sense to stay in the side room and keep quiet. This was not the time for heroics from anyone.

"Well, I guess you know we're here." Gareth's voice called out from the church hall. "And we know you're here."

Jason grit his teeth from inside the side room. What had happened to Rick and the others for these Termites to get to the church so quickly? They were sitting ducks in these side rooms, they were practically defenceless and they were blinded by the doors.

"And we're armed. So there's really no point in hiding anymore." Gareth continued to call out. "We've been watching you."

The sound of the floorboards creaking told the others that the armed men were moving and roughly where they were. A group of six inside the small church felt like an army had marched in.

"We know who's here. There's Bob, unless you put him out of his misery already." Gareth called out. "Then Eugene, Rosita, Martin's good friend Tyreese."

Jason thought for a moment. Was that the same Termite that Tyreese had claimed to have killed for threatening Judith? He hadn't killed him? Jason understood that the man had his morals but to not kill that bastard and lie to the group was a big mistake. The animal who threatened a defenceless baby was in the church with them because Tyreese couldn't swallow his moral authority. Jason growled at the lack of forethought.

"Carl, Jason and Judith." Gareth finished.

Carl tightened the grip on his gun. He would not let these men harm his baby sister. He had already lost her once at the prison and he was not about to lose her again. Carl didn't care what it took. These men would have to get through him to get to Judith.

"Rick and the rest walked out with a lot of your guns." Gareth continued. "Listen, we don't know where you all are but this isn't a big place."

In the office, Gabriel was shaking with fear. He had heard the others talk about this group and Bob's leg was proof of what he had been told. There were devils in his church and he was powerless to stop them.

"So let's just stop this now before things get more painful than they need to be." Gareth continued calmly.

The Termite group split apart with two of them going to the office door and another one going to the side room door. Both doors were locked, rattling as they tried to open them. Carl and Rosita aimed at the office door. Jason aimed at the side room door. They were running out of time.

"Look, we know you're behind one of these two doors and we have enough fire power to take down both." Gareth called out, growing impatient. "Can't imagine that's what you all want."

The sound of a shotgun being cocked echoed in the church hall.

"How about the priest? Father, if you help us wrap this up we'll let you walk away from this." Gareth attempted to trick the man. "Just open the door and go, you can take the baby with you."

Gabriel to his credit did not budge from where he crouched in the office. Carl continued to aim at the door, ready for what was next.

"What do you say?" Gareth pleaded.

From the proximity of Gareth's voice, Jason could tell he was standing behind the side room door. At least if things got violent he could kill Gareth. He'd be happy with that. He heard the man move. Gareth was preparing to break down the door. This was his chance.

Suddenly, Judith woke up and started crying loudly. Carl scrambled to keep her quiet but it was too late. She had revealed their location. Jason cursed under his breath upon hearing Judith's cries.

"I don't know, maybe we'll keep the kid. I'm starting to like this girl." Gareth commented as they all advanced for the office door.

The Termites were now aiming their guns at the office door, all of them locked and loaded.

"This is your last chance to tell us you're coming out!" Gareth called out one last time.

Jason growled quietly. All those guns were now pointing at the office door. He knew they would be. That meant all those guns were pointing at Carl. He wasn't about to let them kill him. Rick had trusted him to stay behind and keep everyone safe. That was exactly what he was going to do.

Jason unlocked the door and stepped out into the hall with his gun raised. The Termites turned to him with all their guns raised as Gareth smiled victoriously.

"Jason! How's the leg?" He asked sadistically.

Jason took a strong step forward, hiding the pain that shot through his leg and kept his gun aimed at Gareth's head. He didn't answer.

"I get it. Trying to be the hero?" Gareth taunted him. "Heroes die. Besides, you can't honestly expect to kill all of us."

Carl felt panic surge through him. Jason was out in the hall with those monsters and he couldn't figure out why. Was he trying to save them all by throwing his own life away? That's when it hit Carl, his blood running cold. Jason had mentioned that he had been on the search for a good death. Had he found it? Die fighting the Termites in order to protect everyone else? To protect Carl? He couldn't allow it. Carl's hands started shaking, struggling to keep the gun steady. He wanted to do something but his feet felt like blocks of cement.

"Maybe not but killing you will make my fucking night." Jason finally spat back, sweat rolling down his face.

Gareth's smirk fell from his face and raised his hand to his group. The men seemed to understand as they aimed at the office door.

"If you make one move, we'll blast that door down and kill everyone inside." Gareth told him.

Jason wanted to move on reflex but he held himself still somehow. He grit his teeth and growled audibly at Gareth. Typical of the sadistic leader to hold everyone else hostage. He should have expected it.

"Lower your weapon and we'll let you walk away." Gareth offered. "You don't want to die."

Jason didn't lower his gun. He was not going to leave Carl to these people. He was never going to leave Carl.

"I'm being generous, Jason. I'm trying to be nice." Gareth continued. "You really ought to show some appreciation."

Jason swallowed nervously. He knew there was no way he would let Carl die. He also knew he was running out of time as Gareth was losing his patience. Perhaps gunfire would alert Rick and the others if they were still alive and close by. Perhaps it would attract a herd that would get the Termites. Gareth was their unquestionable leader. Jason kept his gun aimed at Gareth's head.

On his death bed, Kellin had made Jason promise to stay alive. To not attempt suicide and to not throw his life away for nothing. He had promised to be strong and live. He had also promised that he could only lose his life if it was a worthwhile, meaningful death. Jason hadn't cared for anyone since Kellin's death until he met Carl. Something had clicked between them, bringing part of Jason back to life that he had previously thought had died with Kellin. He had promised to keep Carl safe and he was not going to break that promise. He would give his life in the hopes that it would give Carl a second chance.

"_Carl, please forgive me._" He whispered and prepared to pull the trigger.

Suddenly the heads of the men standing at the office door exploded and splattered blood on the wall as their bodies fell to the ground. A silenced gun had been used to shoot them. Jason, Gareth and the remaining Termites turned to face the doors.

"Put your guns on the floor." Rick's ice cold voice came from the darkness.

"We're prepared to fire right into that office so you lower your guns!" Gareth demanded.

Another shot rang out and two of Jason's fingers were blown off by the bullet, causing him to cry out in pain and clutch his bleeding hand.

Rick emerged from the darkness with a silenced gun aimed at them.

"Put your guns on the floor and kneel." Rick ordered them with an icy tone.

The one known as Martin refused to do as he was told. He continued to stand.

"Do as he says!" Gareth demanded from his agonised position on the floor.

The other Termites lowered their weapons except for Martin.

"Martin, there's no choice here!" Gareth told him desperately.

"Yeah there is." Martin answered, almost nonchalant.

Jason growled at the man's arrogance and stepped forward, placing a gun to the man's temple just as Abraham also approached from the darkness and aimed at him. The rest of Rick's group emerged from the darkness with their weapons drawn.

"Wanna bet?" Abraham growled to Martin.

Martin finally dropped his gun and kneeled on the floor. Jason stood over him, keeping his gun aimed at his head.

Rick stood over Gareth as Sasha pulled his gun away from him.

"No point in begging, right?" Gareth had accepted defeat, staring up at Rick's cold glare.

"No." Rick answered.

"Still, you could have killed us when you came in there had to be a reason for that." Gareth pointed out, hoping Rick was going to show some degree of mercy.

"We didn't want to waste the bullets." Rick answered bluntly.

Jason understood what Rick was planning. He could tell Gareth hadn't quite caught on.

"We used to help people. We saved people! Things changed, they came in and…" Gareth gasped from the pain shooting through his hand. "And after that? I know that you've been out there but I can see it. You don't know what it is to be hungry!"

Rick didn't answer.

"You don't have to do this we can walk away." Gareth pleaded for mercy. "And we will never cross paths again, I promise you."

"But you'd cross someone's path. You'd do this to anyone, right?" Rick answered coldly. "Besides, I already made you a promise."

Rick holstered his gun and pulled out his machete with the red handle and hacked into Gareth who desperately screamed for his life. Rick continued to violently hack into him repeatedly. Michonne started beating to death another Termite as did Abraham.

Jason glared at Martin's puffed up face in disgust. The man who had threatened to kill Carl's baby sister. He pulled out his own machete and started hacking into him with speed and ferocity. The first strike split his head open, the second sliced it into two halves. The third slammed into his neck. The fourth into his chest. The fifth in the chest. The sixth in the chest. Blood splattered everywhere. His arm burned from exertion. His energy fuelled by adrenaline. He was doing what Tyreese should have done. He was making sure this man, this monster, this vile disgusting creature never laid hands on Judith or Carl ever again.

The sounds of the blows, of slicing and the horrific screams echoed against the walls of the church as the rest of the group looked on in shock. It was one of the most violent displays they had ever seen and it was their group that was doing it. Eventually the screams came to a stop. The blows slowed down and stopped. All the Termites were dead.

Two dead bodies lay with bullet holes in their heads by the now open office door. Another two at the sides of the pews where Michonne and Abraham had smashed in their skulls. Gareth lay in the centre, his body ripped open into slices by Rick's machete. Martin's upper body had been reduced to crunchy soup by Jason's ferocious machete strikes. Blood covered the floor, their clothes and faces.

Michonne looked down at Martin's backpack and noticed the handle of her sword sticking out. She grabbed the handle and pulled out the katana. She felt power surge through her. The joy of reuniting with an old friend forced a smile out of her. She had her sword back. Michonne was complete again.

"That could have been us." Rick reminded them all with a growl.

Glenn and Tara were shocked. Their group was turning into something that they didn't want to be. Rick was turning into something they didn't want him to be.

Father Gabriel stepped out of the office timidly. He took in the nauseous sight of the hacked up bodies and all the blood on the floor, soaking into the fabric of the rug that ran up the centre of the hall.

"This is the Lord's house." He stated in shock.

"No. It's just four walls and a roof." Maggie corrected him. She had lost her faith in such things.

Jason spat on Martin's body and sheathed his machete.

"God's house? We just did the Lord a favour." He snarled at Gabriel. "They were monsters. They killed kids. They don't deserve any of your pity."

He walked past Gabriel towards the side room to get his bag. He needed to get the blood off his face. Jason couldn't stand having such a monster's blood on any part of him.

As Jason opened his bag to look for a cloth, he heard the door close behind him. He turned round slowly, cloth in hand. Just as he had expected, Carl stood in front of the closed door. He looked upset.

"You okay?" Jason asked, taking a step forward.

"What were you trying to do?" Carl spat out, referring to his confrontation with the Termites.

"Trying to save you." Jason answered with a guilty sigh.

"By getting yourself shot? Do you even care at all?" Carl continued. "Am I not enough?"

Jason froze. Carl thought the whole performance had been from his desire to die. That he didn't care enough about Carl to keep himself alive for the boy. He realised his mistake. He had been so focused on keeping Carl safe that all he had needed to do was stay in the room and be quiet. Rick would have arrived regardless.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." Jason admitted, looking down at the floor.

"I saw the bodies. Did you do _that_?" Carl asked.

His emphasis on the last word meant he referred to the state of Martin's body. Jason slowly nodded.

"He had threatened to kill Judith back at Terminus." He explained, his hands were still covered in blood and shaking.

Carl understood. The over the top brutality of what Jason did had been because of Judith. That monster had tried to kill his baby sister and as a consequence, Jason hacked him up until he resembled soup.

Carl took a few steps forward and gently pushed Jason against the wall. He eased him down until he was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. Carl took the cloth from his shaking hand and poured some water on it before dabbing Jason's face. He took it upon himself to clean Jason's face of the blood that had splattered over it. Jason's eyes scared him. He was miles away. He could tell Jason wasn't a truly violent guy. He wasn't a killer by choice but by necessity. He remembered that his dad used to get into a similar state.

"Jason?" Carl asked, trying to get some kind of response.

Jason didn't answer. He was still staring into space.

Carl finished cleaning Jason's face and made sure to give his lips an extra clean before he put the cloth down. He was kneeling between Jason's spread out legs. He leaned forward and tentatively planted a kiss on Jason's lips. There was still no response. He kissed Jason again. This time Jason kissed back gently. They broke apart.

"Sorry. Don't like you seeing that side of me." He finally spoke with a rasp.

"It's okay." Carl answered. "It keeps us safe."

Carl leaned forward again and their lips met for the third time. Jason raised his arms and pulled Carl close to him, deepening the kiss. They were alive. They had survived the Termite's onslaught and no one had been lost in the fight. It was a victory and the only way he felt like celebrating was by kissing Carl to remind himself that the teen was still with him.

They broke apart again and Jason licked his lips slowly. He felt like doing more. He wanted to kiss Carl's neck to find out if it was sensitive. He wanted to feel more of his body. Jason wanted to take all the pain and fear away even if it was only for an hour or so. He wanted to replace it all with love and pleasure. Carl caught his stare and blushed lightly under the heavy gaze he was receiving.

"What?" He asked confused.

Jason continued to admire Carl. He could see the pain that always sat in the back of his eyes. He wanted to set those eyes alight with pleasure, with happiness, with ecstasy. He remembered where he was and where Rick was. He couldn't. No matter how much he wanted to. No matter how much he yearned to pull Carl close and do all sorts of wonderful things to him.

"You look tired." Jason finally answered. Tired was the last word he wanted to use.

Carl yawned, covering his mouth on reflex and smiled.

"I guess I am." He answered.

Jason pulled the younger teen closer to him and got him to sit down. He turned Carl around until Carl's back was against his chest. He wrapped his arms around Carl and rubbed his tummy and chest as gently as he could.

"Let's sleep then." Jason told him, kissing the back of his head.

"Like this?" Carl questioned.

"Why not?" Jason shrugged. He was comfortable and Carl was too.

"What if someone sees?" Carl asked, remembering Jason's caution.

"I really don't care right now." Jason chuckled lightly in his head.

No more words were spoken. They fell asleep like that. Carl resting between Jason's legs as Jason's hands gently caressed his front. They had been through a lot for one night and it was finally over. They were safe again. They were together.

* * *

><p><em>Jason and Kellin lay on Jason's bed together. They lay on top of the covers, shoes and shirts off but jeans and socks still on. Jason lay on his side behind Kellin with his arms around him, spooning him and rubbing his chest and stomach softly. His other hand softly played with Kellin's hair, keeping it out of his boyfriend's eyes. <em>

"_Fuck them. Fuck the lot of them." Jason told him, kissing his ear softly. _

"_They're still my family." Kellin muttered back. His eyes were stained with tears. "It hurts."_

"_Not if they treat you like that." Jason answered, leaving a kiss on his shoulder. _

"_They disowned me, Jason! They told me to leave and never come back!" Kellin sobbed out, his body shaking. "That I was disgusting, a disgrace to the family!"_

_Jason whispered words and sounds of comfort in Kellin's ear as he pulled him closer against his body. He kissed Kellin's cheek and continued to rub his chest softly._

"_Then leave them. They don't deserve you." Jason answered calmly. _

"_Where would I go?" Kellin asked desperately. "I have no options!"_

"_You do have somewhere to go." Jason whispered into his ear, kissing it gently. _

"_Where?" Kellin asked, too upset to follow Jason's thoughts._

"_You're lying in your new bed, in your new home." Jason answered, turning Kellin over to stare into his eyes._

_Tears were still fresh in Kellin's eyes. "I can't stay with you."_

_Jason kissed his forehead. "Sure you can. Get your things and live here."_

_Kellin started to cry again but this time out of relief, out of love. He had a boyfriend who cared about him and loved him so much that he was willing to take him in after his family kicked him out. He knew he had found the one for him. The only person he could ever love was leaning over him with a soft but loving smile on his face. Moving in with Jason would be a dream come true but it would also mean going back home for his belongings._

"_I don't think I can go back there." Kellin rasped in pain and fear. _

"_You won't be going alone." Jason answered sternly. "I'm going with you."_

"_But what if they say something?" Kellin asked, worried about everything going wrong._

"_Then I'll shut them up." Jason declared confidently. "They can pick on someone who's not afraid, see what happens."_

_Kellin couldn't help but smile as he cried. Jason was going to be his guardian angel through all of it. He showed no fear, if Kellin's father got violent then Jason was willing to lay him out flat on the floor for it. Jason was confident. He was proud of their relationship. _

"_I love you." Kellin choked out, staring up at his lover._

"_I love you too." Jason replied and brought their lips together._

* * *

><p>Jason awoke to sounds in the church hall. The others must have woken up and were having breakfast. He looked down and found Carl still between his legs, his head resting on Jason's shoulder with Jason's leather jacket wrapped around him like a duvet. He knew they had probably been spotted by someone but after the previous night's events he didn't care.<p>

He gently shook Carl awake, the boy's eyes fluttering open before looking up at Jason who kissed him on the forehead.

"Morning." Jason greeted.

"Morning." Carl replied with a smile.

Jason listened out for the sound of plates but couldn't hear them. That's when he remembered that Bob had been bitten the day before. The silence could mean he had already passed away or he was close to death.

"Let's check on the others." He commented and stood up, putting his jacket back on.

They left the side room together and saw that everyone was heading into the office. Bob was on his death bed. They quickly joined the rest of them so they could say their goodbyes.

Over the following ten minutes the emotions in the room increased. Tears were staining eyes more and more as each individual got to say their goodbye to Bob. This included Carl and Jason. Bob had been a very positive and entertaining man and yet again a bright light was about to go out.

Maggie was by Bob's side. "You'll always be with us, always be a part of us."

She kissed his hand. She was the last one to say goodbye. The group started to walk out of the office so that Sasha could have her final moments with Bob. After that she would stab him in the head to prevent animation so that they could bury him with the dignity he deserved.

"Rick." Bob called weakly.

Rick turned and realised Bob wanted a word. He went to hand Judith to Carl.

"No, don't. Let her stay." Bob stopped him. "I trust her."

Rick nodded and headed for the sofa. Jason placed a hand on Carl's shoulder and gently guided him out of the office. It hurt him to see someone else go through what happened to Kellin but at least Sasha wasn't alone. There was more comfort and dignity to Bob's passing.

"I'll be right outside." Sasha told him, leaving the office as well.

Rick stood over Bob, holding Judith in his arms.

"I just want to say thank you." Bob told him with a weak smile.

"For what?" Rick asked, somewhat confused.

"Before the prison, I didn't know if there were any good people left." Bob explained softly. "I didn't know if anybody was left."

Rick sat on the sofa as Bob spoke.

"You took me in because you took people in." Bob continued. "It was you, man."

Bob held his hand out and Rick took it in his own.

"What I said yesterday, I ain't revising it. Even in light of current events." Bob told him, struggling to speak. "Nightmares end but they shouldn't end who you are. And that is just this dead man's opinion."

Rick nodded and smiled faintly, finding it difficult to smile at all. "I'll take it."

Bob grinned. "Just look at her and tell me the world isn't going to change."

Bob was right and Rick knew it. Judith was the perfect symbol of hope in all the fear. She was the perfect symbol of light in the darkness.

Rick stood up and gave Bob a final goodbye before leaving the office, allowing Sasha to spend some final moments with her lover. When she sat down Bob was unconscious again but still breathing so she waited.

Five minutes later Bob finally woke again.

"You were out." Sasha told him.

"Was I?" Bob smiled.

"You were." Sasha answered softly. "Why are you smiling?"

"I think I was dreaming and I think you were smiling back at me in the dream." Bob replied, still smiling.

Sasha smiled back at the comment. Even on death's door he was charming.

"Yeah, that's it." Bob commented, still smiling.

"So what is it? The good that comes out of this bad?" Sasha asked him, both referencing their game and asking him sincerely.

Bob didn't answer. His eyes remained closed and his smile slowly faded from his face. His chest stopped moving. He was finally gone.

"Bob?" Sasha called, her lip quivering and voice shaking.

She placed a hand on his chest but felt no movements or beats from his heart. "Bob?"

She removed her hand from him and placed both her hands together, resting her forehead against them as she cried. It was over. Unfortunately it wasn't over as there was still one last thing that needed to be done. She had to prevent his reanimation. She pulled out her knife but realised she couldn't find the strength to use it.

Tyreese came into the office and walked up to her. He knew it was over and he understood how difficult it was to put Bob down.

"Give it here." Tyreese said, holding his hand out to take the knife.

Sasha felt the tears fall faster as she handed her older brother the knife. She kissed Bob's hand and quickly made her way out of the office so that she could grieve. She didn't need to see it.

Tyreese started to cry as he approached Bob's body. Lying on the sofa wasn't just a dead friend. It was his dead brother-in-law. Though Bob and Sasha had never formally got married, Tyreese saw Bob as family. He placed a hand on Bob's forehead and drove the knife deep into his ear to prevent reanimation.

A few moments later, Tyreese emerged from the office with Bob's body in his arms. He had wrapped him up in a white sheet and slowly walked past the others as he headed for the open church doors. Sasha followed him out with tears still running down her face.

Jason placed a hand on Carl's shoulder, conscious of the others being able to see them.

"This is why I said no at first." He explained. "I didn't want to put you through that."

"Do you regret being with Kellin because it ended that way?" Carl asked, looking back at him with sincerity.

Jason thought for a moment. Though Kellin's death had been the most awful thing he had ever dealt with in his life. It was something that would haunt him forever. Was that one night bad enough to make him regret the three happiest years of his life? Absolutely not.

Jason shook his head. "No, I don't."

Carl didn't say any more. He didn't have to because his point had been made. It was about the here and now, that's what mattered most because it was all they ever had.

Carl took Judith in his arms and followed the rest of the group outside. He and Jason stood on the front steps of the church while Sasha built a cross for Bob's grave. Tyreese busied himself with digging the grave. In front of the church, the short bus was ready to go and so were Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Glenn, Maggie and Tara as they had all agreed the night before.

Abraham handed Rick a folded up map. "This is our route to DC. We'll stick to it as long as we're able. If not, well, you've got our destination."

Jason stood with Carl as he cradled Judith in his arms. He loved how affectionate Carl was, he was truly a great big brother.

"Once Eugene gets to the big brands up there things are going to bounce back." Abraham explained. "This group should be there for it. You should be there for it."

"They will be." Maggie added.

"We will." Michonne agreed.

"We will." Rick repeated with a smile matched by Abraham's own.

Abraham turned and headed for the bus. "Let's go!"

Once they had all packed into the short bus the others joined Jason, Carl and Gabriel on the front steps of the church. They smiled and waved their goodbyes while Rick and Abraham shared a nod. The doors of the bus closed and it slowly drove off.

Rick opened the map to check their route and found a note written on the bottom.

"Sorry I was an asshole. Come to Washington. The new world's gonna need Rick Grimes."

As the rest of the group returned to the interior of the church, Rick headed over to help Tyreese bury the bodies. The Terminus members had also been wrapped up for burial upon Gabriel's request. Despite the monsters they had been they were still people and deserved a burial, for the sake of the people they used to be if nothing else.

Rick picked up a shovel and started digging next to Tyreese. Unfortunately for both men, the digging of graves was a mastered art for them.

"I never asked how it was for you." Rick spoke. "Getting to Terminus."

Tyreese thought of Carol's revelation, of Lizzie and Mika and the horrendous things he had bared witness to.

"It killed me." Tyreese finally answered.

As they continued to dig, Rick thought about the answer Tyreese gave. This was a man who could still forgive people. He could still be peaceful, hold onto his morals and resist the temptation to kill. He hadn't died inside yet.

"No. It didn't." Rick told him with a smile.

At the front of the church Jason, Carl and Michonne stayed outside for some fresh air. Jason noticed Michonne's sword on her back again.

"So, you got your sword back." Jason commented.

"Yeah. I didn't miss it." Michonne answered. "But I'm glad to have it back."

"That means Carl can practice some more." Jason reminded her.

Carl's face lit up. He had forgotten about his sword training with Michonne. Upon seeing Carl's excitement Michonne pulled out her sword and handed it to Jason.

"I'll take Judith so you can practice some more." She explained.

Carl grinned and handed Judith over to Michonne who cradled her with a mother's expert hands. Jason handed Carl the sword and soon enough Carl was a safe distance away taking practice swings. Michonne would give him tips or correct his posture from time to time.

As Jason and Michonne sat on the church steps with Judith watching Carl practice, she took it as an opportunity to question Jason about Carl's confession.

"So you're together now, I hear?" She asked the young man.

Jason nodded with a nervous smile. "Yeah. It's what Carl wanted."

"Why are you nervous?" Michonne asked him. "What you have is a good thing."

"Rick doesn't know yet. I'm kinda scared." Jason admitted.

"I understand." Michonne answered. "But he's a good man. He'll appreciate honesty."

Jason nodded. "What if he disapproves?"

"Why would he disapprove?" Michonne asked, trying to figure out Jason's thoughts.

"The age difference." Jason answered. "And that it could cause him heartbreak in this world."

Michonne considered his answer for a moment. "What convinced you to say yes?"

"Carl told me that if he was old enough for all the bad things in this world, then he's old enough for the good." Jason explained. "And that he wants to experience the good because none of us know if we'll survive tomorrow."

Michonne smiled as she played with Judith, making the baby giggle.

"There's your answer." Michonne replied.

Jason watched as Carl continued to practice with the sword. For all the physical attraction there was. All the hunger. His connection ran deeper than that. There was an emotional bond between them. Carl and Kellin were two very similar yet very different people. Jason felt happy with Carl. Carl felt happy with Jason. That's all that mattered.

"He's my light in the darkness." Jason told her with a smile.

* * *

><p><strong>So there we go. Chapter 11 is finally done and the Termites have been squashed. The next chapter will be a custom storyline that I have come up with. That's because episode 3 does away with an entire day so I figured something had to happen in that time. <strong>

**I hope this chapter was up to expectations and I will try to get chapter 12 done as soon as possible. I will also soon be revealing all the Easter Eggs that have been hidden in the fanfiction so far.**

**Thanks for all the kudos/follows/favourites/bookmarks/subscriptions etc.**

**Thanks to the reviewers of Chapter 10: SaraP, RainbowO, DarkRavie, jar98, heavensentskysky, rk0192 and jlogan83.**

**A special mention for jlogan83 who informed me he had stayed up till 7am reading the story from start to finish. That's one of the single best things anyone has ever said about one of my fanfics, so thank you. **

**Also, if you can, check out my Walking Dead Seasons 1-4 trailer on Youtube: watch?v=vWPH82PDMcs**


	12. Evolution

**EVOLUTION**

The sun shown down strongly upon the greenery of the area. The grass, flowers and trees bathed in its ultraviolet rays that fed them as they photosynthesized. The birds that nested upon the branches of the many trees sang their daily chorus as they continued their lives unaffected by the end of humanity. On a patch of grass across from the small church, Sasha sat by Bob's recently dug grave as she mourned his passing. It was hard for her to process that he was gone. It didn't feel real. Unfortunately it was very real. The greatest man she had ever been with was gone forever. She let her tears fall down her face and onto the grass below.

Closer to the entrance of the church in an open patch of grass, Carl continued to practice with Michonne's katana. Michonne sat nearby, instructing him and correcting any mistakes he made. The self-taught samurai had to admit that Carl was a fast learner and was improving rapidly. A few more days of practice like this and testing his skills against walkers and he would be as good as her. It brought a smile to her face. She understood that Jason had reminded them of the training so it would take Carl's mind off the horrors of the previous night and the death of Bob that morning. For the time being it appeared to be working.

Inside the church, Rick sat with Judith as he fed her. Ten minutes previous the youngest of the Grimes family had just about cried the church walls down as she called out for breakfast. Rick always savoured these moments with his daughter. Unlike the people and the world around him she was innocent. She was pure. It was something so unique and so rare he had to remind himself of it every day lest he forget what it is like. The ex-sheriff deputy knew that her innocence would not last very long. As she grew older she would be brought up to survive, to fight and to kill. It wasn't an ideal future life for his daughter but it was better than death.

Jason emerged from the office where he had kept his backpack. He had just got done marking his tallies and was placing the bag on his shoulders as he closed the door. He grabbed a large plastic bottle that sat empty on the floor and made his way over to Gabriel who sat at his desk in silence, still horrified by the violence of the previous night. Jason placed his hand down on the desk to get the priest's attention.

"Gabriel, is there a river or a lake close by?" The young man asked.

From the pews behind them, Rick raised his head in curiosity as he listened in on the conversation.

Father Gabriel nodded slowly and pulled out the map from his drawer. He spread it out on the table and placed his finger on the church.

"If you go out the doors and follow the road to the right." Gabriel told him, dragging his finger down the path. "There's a lake just through the trees. It's a five minute walk from here."

Rick placed Judith in her crib next to Tyreese who was cleaning some of the guns. He walked up to them with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"What's going on?" He asked as he approached the two.

Jason held up the empty bottle as he turned to Rick with a small smile.

"We need more water." Jason answered. "I was hoping you could come with me to get some."

"Why don't you ask Carl or Michonne?" Rick questioned. He knew Jason was more comfortable with them, especially Carl.

"They're busy with Carl's sword training." Jason explained. "I don't want to interrupt them."

Rick nodded silently, accepting the explanation before looking to his left. He walked over and grabbed the Norinco Type 56 rifle that he had stolen at Terminus and put the strap over his shoulder. He checked the ammo for the rifle and for his trademark Colt Python revolver before holstering it.

Rick looked back at Jason. "Let's go."

As they made their way out of the church doors and down the steps, Michonne and Carl caught sight of them. It was clear from their body language that they were going somewhere which was strange as nothing had been said to her about a run.

"Going somewhere?" She asked the two as they walked past.

"Just going to get some more water." Jason answered with a shrug as he held up the empty bottle. "We're running low."

"Can I come?" Carl asked, sheathing the sword. He wouldn't mind spending more time with Jason after all the sword training.

Jason shook his head. "We'll only be fifteen minutes. It's not going to be anything exciting."

Carl's face fell momentarily. It wasn't like Jason to say no. His rational side kicked in as he reminded himself that a fifteen minute run to get water wasn't anything special nor would it require any effort. He'd rather spend the time with Jason doing other things and without his father around. Finally he nodded in acceptance.

With that, Jason waved them a temporary goodbye as he and Rick set off down the empty road that was littered with fallen leaves and rubbish. Jason couldn't help but smile as they walked down the road. On either side were rows of trees which rustled in the wind and were the home to a variety of birds and other wildlife. Jason loved nature and he enjoyed being surrounded by it even if it brought the ever present threat of walkers. The other thing he loved about the post-apocalyptic world was the silence. Though he missed the sound of aeroplanes in the sky above them, he couldn't help but enjoy the silence the end of the world had brought. Nothing but the sounds of nature echoed around them.

Jason noticed that not a word had been said between himself and Rick. He had been too wrapped up in observing his surroundings and Rick was constantly on the lookout for potential danger. The young man didn't feel comfortable walking in silence with the group leader.

"Where do you think Carol and Daryl went?" Jason asked out of the blue, looking straight on.

Rick glanced at him before continuing to observe their surroundings for any approaching danger. He thought for a moment as it had been strange of the two of them to disappear like they had. They were two original members of the Atlanta group. They were family.

"They wouldn't leave us." Rick answered flatly. "Maybe they saw the people who took Beth."

"Here's hoping they bring her back safe." Jason commented as the two men continued to walk.

Rick didn't answer. He had his doubts. He knew better than to voice his doubts so as to not upset any of the others but the world was so dangerous, especially other people, that the chances of survival were probably slim wherever she was.

Jason noted that Rick appeared to be distant with him, reserved to some extent. He couldn't figure out why. It was possible that Rick still didn't trust him completely even though he was the one that had said Jason belonged in the group. He was sure that the bearded man wasn't aware of his relationship with Carl for the mere fact that he was still breathing. Jason knew he had to tell Rick soon. He was Carl's father. He deserved to know. Kellin and Jason had tried to be secretive with their relationship and that almost ended disastrously for Kellin. Jason refused to make the same mistake twice.

They were interrupted by their thoughts as a walker stumbled out of the woodland, rasping and growling at them as it approached with swinging arms. The dirty, blood covered trainers and ripped tracksuit told them something of who the man used to be. The walker's stench filled their nostrils and repulsed the two men. It was something they could never get used to. The walker snarled as it got closer to Jason who pulled out his machete and with one swift vertical strike split the walker's skull into two halves. The walker went still until he pulled out the blade allowing the body to collapse to the ground.

Jason wiped the blood off the blade with the walker's tracksuit before sheathing it in his belt yet again. Looking through the woodland he saw the classic reflection of sunlight on water and realised that they had made it to the lake. He signalled to Rick and led the bearded man through the trees and bushes towards the water.

Once they had made it through the small patch of woodland they reached the bank of the lake. The water stretched out before them, reflecting the sky and the trees that surrounded it. The water was calm, clean and sparkled in the sunlight. It was a beautiful and peaceful place to be. A sudden splash signalled the jump of a fish. The lake had a fish population which would allow them to catch fish for food. The lake was looking more and more inviting by the minute.

Jason crouched down and sampled a handful of the water. He held it in his mouth, tasting it for any obvious contamination but failed to find any. The water was fresh. He smiled and drank another handful of water before splashing some on his face and hair to cool him down. Another thought crossed his mind. The lake would be a beautiful place to spend some time with Carl.

"You want to tell me why you brought me out here?" Rick asked abruptly, glaring at Jason.

Jason stared back, slightly confused by the question and intimidated by Rick's glare.

"We need more water."

"No, we don't." Rick shot back. "I checked this morning."

Jason felt his legs go weak under the intensity of Rick's glare. The bearded man had known all along that Jason had been lying to him and yet went along with it up until now. Rick's perceptiveness scared Jason. The young man quickly reminded himself that this was still Rick, the man who appeared to appreciate him and did care about him. He wasn't a monster. _Usually_.

Jason sighed in defeat and dropped his gaze to the ground for a moment. He needed to muster up the courage to be up front and honest with Rick. This was what he had planned all along and he couldn't back out now, especially under Rick's ever piercing glare.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." Jason finally told him, looking up. "Away from the others."

"So tell me." Rick answered quickly.

Jason couldn't tell if Rick's hand was resting on the handle of his Colt Python out of habit or out of suspicion. The air between them felt tense and heavy. Despite the fact that they were standing in the shade, Jason felt like he was in an oven. Hot. Nervous. Sweat trickled down his face as he swallowed slowly. His hands shook with nerves and his knees felt like buckling under his weight. Somehow he held himself up.

"Carl…and I are…um….we…uh…we want to be together." Jason stuttered out, trying his best to phrase it in an appropriate way.

Rick continued to glare at him as he processed the information. His expression was extremely difficult to read. It was as if he was studying Jason, looking for any faults or indications of lies.

"You want to be with Carl?" Rick finally asked, lowering his head and strengthening his glare. "You want to be with _my son_?"

"And he wants to be with me." Jason answered. He needed to stress that it was what Carl wanted.

"He's five years younger than you." Rick hissed. The police officer inside him appeared to have been awakened.

"Are you saying he's too young?" Jason asked. He had intended to sound strong but his voice came out uneven. His nerves were showing through.

"He's fourteen. He's still going through puberty." Rick explained coldly. "You can't be sure about what he thinks he wants."

"He sounded pretty convinced to me, Rick." Jason replied. He felt like he was walking a tightrope.

"How long have you had these feelings for?" Rick continued his interrogation.

Jason gazed back down at the floor. That was a difficult question. He couldn't really put a specific date or time on it. His feelings had developed over time as Carl grew on him. It wasn't something he honestly cared about. All he cared about was the present.

"A while now, but I honestly couldn't say." Jason answered as truthfully as he could.

Rick continued to study him with his unrelenting glare. It made Jason incredibly uncomfortable as he expected Rick to shoot him or hit him at any moment. He also wondered if he was about to be banished like Carol had been from the prison. That was the real reason he had grabbed his bag and the empty water bottle. At least he would have supplies.

"And you're sure he wants this?" Rick asked after a few moments of silence. His voice was raspy. It scared Jason.

Jason nodded quickly. "We went at his pace. It was about what he wanted. I swear."

Rick nodded for a moment. He appeared to believe Jason but he needed to be sure. His son had been through so much in the last couple years and the last horror he needed to be subjected to was any kind of sexual abuse. Rick wouldn't tolerate that for a second.

"What have you done with him?" Rick asked. His tone was ice cold. He needed an answer.

Jason hesitated for a moment. The tone of Rick's voice and the look on his face confirmed the meaning of the question. He was asking about anything sexual. Any intimate actions that he may or may not approve of. Jason remembered Rick's warning about touching his son and what the result of that would be. He had stayed true to his word and hadn't done anything sexual with Carl but he couldn't deny the temptations had been there.

"We have only kissed so far." Jason answered slowly and honestly. "Like I said, we go at his pace."

"Why should I allow you to be with him?" Rick asked. It was a loaded question.

Jason's nerves caused his body to shake more as a cold shiver ran down his spine. He knew this was the key question. This would be the make or break of his future with Carl. If he didn't answer in a satisfactory manner then Rick would refuse to accept the relationship and would find a way to stop it. He hoped that if his answer was satisfactory, then Rick would accept the relationship.

"Carl has been through too much for a boy his age. Seeing people around him die almost daily, having to shoot his own mother." Jason made his case. "Watching his father turn into a savage in order to keep him safe."

Rick remained silent as Jason gained confidence and conviction as he continued his argument. Michonne had advised him to make Carl's own words the answer to this question and he silently hoped that her wisdom was well placed.

"He has to live every day in a never ending nightmare with walking corpses and psychopaths." Jason continued. "Fear dominates his life. Anger dominates his life. Tragedy dominates it."

Rick weakened his glare slightly. What Jason was telling him was true. It was something that he couldn't prevent despite all his best efforts. The world was a cruel place and no parent could protect their child from that.

"I'm the one thing he wants that brings him happiness, brings him joy and brings him pleasure." Jason continued. "I can make him forget those feelings of fear and anger for a while. I can give him better things to feel, like love and appreciation. He needs this."

"Either one of you could die." Rick told him with pragmatism. "Is it worth the heartbreak?"

Jason felt a lump grow in his throat as he remembered Kellin. Despite his death ripping Jason's heart to shreds, he wouldn't trade all the good times to avoid the heartbreak. It was worth it. He knew it was.

"Death has always been a threat. Even before with disease, crime and accidents. Walkers aren't any different." Jason retorted confidently. "And if he dies, would it not be better for him to get to experience something good, something special before that rather than constant fear?"

The two men gazed into each other's eyes. Jason had made his case as best he could and now awaited Rick's judgement. Rick appeared to be taking a while to make his decision as he went over everything Jason had said. All his answers and the case he had made for the relationship to be permitted.

To Jason it felt like it had been an hour though he knew it had only been a minute at most before Rick finally nodded. The nod was slow but accepting as Rick came to his final decision.

"You have my permission on two conditions." Rick stressed to cut off any early celebration.

Jason couldn't help but smile. He knew there was more to it but ultimately he had Rick's permission. He and Carl could be together.

"Name them." Jason answered, his body now shaking with excitement rather than fear.

"You take your time, go at his pace." Rick told him. "Don't push him into doing anything. Ever."

Jason nodded. "You have my word that I won't."

"Good. Carl is my son. If you hurt him I'll kill you." Rick threatened. This was the second condition.

"I won't hurt him. I promise." Jason answered and held out his hand.

Rick observed Jason's gloved hand before grasping it with his own so they could shake hands as an act of respect. Jason couldn't help but grin. Rick had accepted his relationship with Carl. This was the happiest he had been since the world had ended.

* * *

><p>The walker snarled as it approached its prey. It raised its arms and stretched towards the person in an attempt to grab hold of their shoulders so it could bite their face or neck. Before it could get any closer, the blade of a sword cut through its neck and decapitated it with a single swipe. Its head dropped to the floor, the jaws still trying to bite as the body collapsed. The same sword was stabbed through its temple to end its second life.<p>

Carl flicked the blood off the blade of the sword before sheathing it as Rick and Jason reappeared. Three other walker corpses littered the grass in front of the church as they had been used for Carl's practical exam. Michonne's grin showed that Carl had obviously passed with flying colours or in the case at hand, flying heads.

"That was longer than fifteen minutes." Michonne told them as she took her sword back from Carl.

Rick nodded with his hands on his hips. "Yeah, we had a little chat."

Michonne raised her eyebrows at this and glanced at Jason who nodded gently. Just as she had thought, Jason had taken the opportunity to tell Rick about his relationship with Carl. Given that Jason was still with them and unharmed appeared to be a good sign.

"Carl, I need to speak to you for a moment." Rick told his son, beckoning him over.

Carl was a little confused but did as his father asked and followed him out of the hearing range of the others. He felt a little nervous. Was his dad about to tell him he couldn't be with Jason?

Jason stood next to Michonne and placed the now full bottle of water on the ground by his feet. He folded his arms and smiled as he watched Carl follow Rick.

"You were right." He told the samurai next to him.

"He approved?" Michonne asked to confirm.

Jason shrugged. Approved wasn't the word he would have used. "We have his permission."

Michonne couldn't help but smile. She knew Carl needed someone to be close to and intimate with, especially with how dark and dangerous the world was. Rick had made the decision to allow his son the opportunity to have that person. He was a good man.

Rick placed a hand on Carl's shoulder and stared into his son's eyes. Looking at his son at that moment, now aware of what was going on with Jason made him realise how much Carl was growing up. He reminded Rick of Lori in many ways.

"Jason tells me that you're together." Rick began. "Is that true?"

Carl swallowed and nodded nervously. Although he had wanted to be open about his relationship with Jason, he now felt a similar to fear to what Jason had been feeling. All it would take would be for his father to disapprove and ruin it all.

"Is that what you want?" Rick asked his son. "He's not forcing you?"

Carl shook his head. "No, dad. I like him. Really."

Rick nodded slowly before preparing his final question. He needed to make sure Jason hadn't lied to him at all in their discussion at the lake.

"What has he done with you?" Rick asked, hoping he wouldn't need to go into detail.

Fortunately for the ex-sheriff deputy, his son understood the question. Carl's face went red as he admitted to his father the intimacy he shared with Jason.

"We cuddle a lot and we've kissed a few times." Carl told his father, looking down.

Rick nodded and smiled. Jason had been telling the truth. Respecting the young man's honesty and the wishes of his own son he had no choice but to approve of their relationship. He waved for Jason to walk over and join them which the young man did without hesitation.

Rick placed a hand on each of their shoulders and moved his gaze between each pair of eyes that were staring back intently.

"If this is what you both want I won't stop it." Rick told them. His tone was serious despite the warmth in his eyes. "Promise me to take it slow and be safe. Keep each other safe."

"I promise, Dad." Carl told him, a grin forming on his lips.

"I promise, Mr. Grimes." Jason answered, smiling but making an effort to be respectful.

Rick laughed lightly at how Jason had addressed him. "Rick's fine."

He stopped laughing and placed both his hands on Jason's shoulders, staring into the younger man's eyes with one final serious comment.

"Carl's my only son." Rick told him. "You better keep him safe when I'm not around."

Jason nodded without speaking. There was no need for him to verbally answer as Rick knew that Jason would keep Carl safe. With that said, Rick removed his hands from Jason's shoulders and patted Carl on the back before walking away from them. The couple watched the bearded group leader as he made his way back inside the church, presumably to spend time with Judith.

Jason took hold of Carl's hand and squeezed it before pulling the younger teen into a strong hug. Carl wrapped his arms around Jason and pulled himself in closer, his hat being pushed out of place by Jason's neck. They stood on the spot in their embrace for a couple minutes, letting themselves take in the good news of Rick's acceptance.

Jason couldn't believe that Rick had approved. Not only had his fears turned out to be unfounded but now he had a chance to be happy. Kellin had wanted him to find someone new in the event of his death and now Jason had. Carl could never fill the void left by Kellin but that didn't matter because Carl had created his own spot in Jason's heart that held equal importance. For six months Jason had been alone with all the skills to survive but without an actual reason to do so beyond his promise to Kellin. Now he had a reason to live. Now he had someone to live for.

Though Carl had more faith in his father accepting them, he was just as surprised and happy as Jason was. He had grown up in a way no child should ever have to. He understood that was why his mother always held him close and treated him like a child. It was because he should have been a child instead of another defender of the group, another adult. After two years of fear and the cold emotions of an accelerated maturation he could now feel something warm. Carl now had the opportunity to share something special with someone. It was a brand new experience to him and unlike all the other experiences of the post-apocalyptic world, it was an experience he looked forward to.

They finally broke apart allowing Jason to kiss Carl's forehead quickly before smiling at him. Carl smiled back, no longer afraid to show their affection in front of Michonne or anyone else.

"If you give me a minute to put this water inside, there's somewhere I want to take you." Jason told the younger teen with a grin.

"Where?" Carl asked out of curiosity.

Jason continued to grin. "Not telling. You'll see when we get there."

Jason picked up the water bottle and headed back inside the church, leaving Carl and Michonne outside.

Once Jason was inside the church he headed over to the far side where they kept most of the supplies. He placed the water bottle next to the other bottles they had and looked over at the pews on the left side of the church. Tyreese was still cleaning out some of the guns while Rick was spending time with Judith, holding the baby in his large hands and bouncing her up and down on his knee as she laughed with innocent amusement. Jason almost felt bad about interrupting but he knew Rick trusted him now and he could feel a warmth about the man that hadn't been there before.

"Hey, Rick? Is it okay if I take Carl to the lake for a while?" Jason asked the leader. "Figured he could use a change of scenery."

Rick thought for a moment before nodding. "Take Michonne with you just in case."

Jason nodded and made his way for the door. He couldn't tell if Rick had said that out of genuine concern for walkers or to avoid anything intimate taking place between himself and Carl.

"Jason." Rick called after him, halting the young man in his tracks.

"Yeah?" Jason asked, turning round to face him.

"I appreciate the effort you made to speak to me about you and Carl." Rick told him. "I respect your honesty."

"You're his father. It would be wrong of me to keep it hidden from you." Jason replied.

Rick nodded. "I want you to know that I knew. I figured it out pretty quickly."

Jason's eyes widened in shock as he was momentarily stunned into silence. Rick had known but hadn't said anything for what could have been days.

"Why didn't you say something?" Jason asked, confusion and surprised.

"Because that was your responsibility." Rick explained.

Jason understood. Rick had remained silent as a test of character to see if Jason could be trusted and if he was fit to be with his son. By mustering up the courage to take Rick away from the others to inform him of their relationship he had secured Rick's approval with his level of honesty and maturity. Jason also noted that Rick was far more perceptive than he had originally given him credit for and knew it would be wise to keep that in mind for future reference.

Rick patted his shoulder. "Have a good time but don't be gone too long."

"Thanks." Jason answered with a smile and turned back towards the door.

* * *

><p>Laughter signalled the arrival of Jason, Carl and Michonne at the lake. They emerged from the woodland so that they stood on the bank of the lake with the water stretching out in front of them. Carl and Michonne took the sight in, admiring the natural beauty of the area.<p>

"We can get fresh drinking water from here and we can fish too." Jason told them as he presented the lake to them.

"I was getting sick of canned food." Michonne commented with a smile.

"It's pretty secluded from walkers too." Jason added. "Makes it a good place to sit back and relax for a while under the sun."

Carl smiled back at Jason whose gaze was upon him. He liked the idea of lying back on the grass with Jason under the sun without constantly having to worry about walkers. Just them, the birds and the lake.

"But first, why don't we use this lake to have some kind of wash?" Jason suggested. "I'm guessing you haven't showered or anything since the prison."

Carl hesitated. He hadn't expected that suggestion. "But we don't have fresh clothes or towels."

Jason shrugged. "We can just dry off in the sun afterwards."

Carl considered the situation. He knew that Michonne had come along to serve as a guard from walkers or people and could be trusted to look away. However, he wasn't sure how he felt about bathing naked in the lake with Jason. It seemed a bit soon to be getting quite so intimate. His lower stomach coiled as if butterflies were moving around in it and he quickly realised he wouldn't be able to control his body if they did this. Carl felt his face heat up as his cheeks turned crimson.

Jason saw the reaction in Carl and realised that for some things the tough teenager was still easily embarrassed. He couldn't tell if he was nervous about showing his body or about the sexual possibilities. Remembering the conditions set by Rick he laughed lightly and tapped Carl's shoulder to get his attention.

"We'll do it one at a time." Jason added to try and calm Carl down.

It seemed to work as Carl's face lost some of the redness that had covered it and his shoulders lowered as he relaxed. At that point it was only a question of who went first. Carl felt nervous about stripping naked out in the open in such a way and even more so with Jason so close by. The idea of Jason looking when he wasn't supposed to filled Carl with a mix of anxiety and excitement. His inexperience made him unable to understand why.

"I'll go first." Jason told him, sensing the younger teen's hesitation.

Carl let out a sigh of relief at not having to be the first. Jason set his bag down and made his way over to the other side of a fallen tree. The tree was large enough and had enough leaves that it served as a divider and allowed Jason to be visible only from the waist up. Carl couldn't help but watch as Jason removed his gloves, leather jacket and black top. His slim but toned body was now visible in the sunlight with the darkest patch being the scar on his abdomen from the night he was stabbed. Carl felt his face heat up again when Jason's eyes stared back into his own. He had been caught staring though Jason didn't visibly appear to mind.

Carl whipped himself round and sat down with his back against the tree trunk to avoid himself looking any more than he already had. A few seconds later he heard the splashing of water, indicating that Jason was now swimming and bathing as best he could in the fresh water lake. A few metres behind him, Jason was naked. Carl shook his head and tried to think of something else until it was his turn.

Michonne couldn't help but smile to herself as she watched Carl experience his first love. She knew from her own, far kinder teenage years, what it was like. Hormones, urges, anxiety and everything else that went along with it. It was unfortunate that Carl had to go through it with the addition of walkers and violence around every corner but he did appear to be adapting well.

A few minutes later and Jason had emerged from the water. He came round the other side of the fallen tree topless and barefoot as he carried his top, jacket, gloves and boots with his socks inside them. He placed his clothes down on the grass next to his bag and sat down on the grass. He smiled at Carl who by this point was staring at him again and chuckling in amusement at Jason's wet hair.

"Your turn, Carl." Jason told him as he smiled. "The water's really refreshing on a hot day like this."

Carl nodded nervously and took his hat off, leaving it next to Jason's bag as he stood up and made his way round the other side of the fallen tree. His hands shook and his legs felt weaker than normal as he pulled off his shirt. He had a feeling Jason would be watching him and when he glanced over his shoulder his suspicions were confirmed. Carl's face flushed red again as he felt exposed under Jason's gaze.

Jason was surprised by how pale Carl's body was. He clearly never took his shirt off when he was outside because only his arms were tanned. The rest of his body was far lighter. There was something cute about it. He looked away as he knew he'd be making Carl even more nervous than he already was. Jason couldn't help but feel a pang of excitement knowing Carl would be naked only a few metres behind him.

After a few moments he heard the splashing of water which signalled to him that Carl was now bathing. Jason turned his attention to Michonne who was leaning against a tree as she kept her eyes peeled for any walkers or anything other dangers.

"Feel free to go in after Carl." Jason offered. "I can keep watch."

Michonne shook her head. "I'll come back tomorrow with Rick."

Jason raised his eyebrows at her answer. "Oh yeah?" He teased.

"Not like that!" Michonne snapped back with a laugh.

"Sure, I totally believe you!" Jason joked back with a laugh of his own.

Michonne grabbed one of the many sticks of a low hanging branch and broke it off before tossing it at Jason who ducked before it could hit his head. He grinned back at her, matching her own grin of amusement.

As their laughter died down Carl came around the fallen tree. Like Jason he carried his shirt and top in one hand with his boots and socks in the other. His jeans hugged his legs more than usual due to the skin underneath them still being wet. Carl set his clothes down on the opposite side of Jason's bag from Jason's own clothes and prepared to sit down next to the older teen.

Jason had other plans and guided Carl with his hands until Carl was sitting between Jason's open legs. Jason encouraged him to lean back until the skin of his back was pressing against the skin of Jason's chest and stomach. Carl initially felt nervous at feeling their exposed skin touching but quickly found comfort in the embrace and leaned back against the older teen. Jason wrapped his arms around Carl's front with a couple of his fingers rubbing over Carl's gunshot scar softly.

Carl closed his eyes and relaxed. His breath hitched slightly as Jason continued to trace his fingers across his slim body. No one had ever touched him like this before and it felt so relaxing and pleasurable despite its simplicity. He could feel Jason's heartbeat against his back. Jason's heart seemed to be pounding but he wasn't sure why. Carl decided not to ask and instead chose to enjoy the older teen's gentle caresses. His eyes snapped open when he felt Jason's lips softly kiss his earlobe. The kiss was soft as his hands continued to gently rub Carl's chest and stomach.

"Okay, I've gotta say it." Michonne broke the silence. "You two are cute together."

Carl blushed at the compliment while Jason grinned and chuckled softly. He lowered his hands off Carl's chest and took hold of both his hands, squeezing them gently.

"Yeah, I guess we are." Jason replied.

Carl squeezed Jason's hands and tried to lean even closer into Jason. Sitting on the grass with Jason spooning him under the late afternoon sun made him feel at peace. The only sounds around them were that of birds singing, leaves blowing in the wind and the trickle of water.

"You know, I used to bring Kellin to a lake like this one. It's where we shared our first kiss." Jason told them, his voice low. "We would go swimming together and just spend hours at the lake, just the two of us."

Jason paused to kiss the back of Carl's head, the younger teen's hair was still damp. He gave Carl's hands another squeeze.

"Wherever we end up staying, I hope there's a lake nearby." Jason continued. "I want us to do stuff like that too."

"Do you think we could?" Carl asked. His concern was with walkers and people.

"Yeah, if we find somewhere secluded enough." Jason answered optimistically.

"We should probably head back." Michonne told them. "Don't want Rick to get worried."

Jason and Carl nodded in agreement. Jason reluctantly let go of Carl's hands so the teenager could put on his shoes, boots and his shirts. Jason sighed as he did the same. He could have stayed in that embrace for hours without complaint. Unfortunately they could only drop their guard for so long before life would remind them that they were never safe.

As soon as Carl placed his hat on his head they were ready to go. That was when it happened. The unmistakable click of gun safety switches sounded around them. Michonne pulled out her sword but before she could prepare herself to use it a man burst out of the bushes behind her and slammed the butt of his gun against the back of her head. Michonne dropped her sword and collapsed onto her front, the force of the impact rendering her unconscious.

Carl and Jason both whipped out their guns and aimed at the man who stood before him. He wore black boots, dirty, ripped black jeans and a sleeveless black leather biker jacket. His arms were covered with tattoos. He held a Remington 870 shotgun in his hands which he was aiming at Jason and Carl with.

To the left of Carl and Jason a man and woman appeared. The man was black, bald and wore dirty black running shoes, ripped grey jeans and a blood stained white shirt. In his hands he wielded an Uzi. The woman next to him was young and rather pretty. Her long black hair was a mess with two prominent bangs falling in front of her blue eyes. She was dressed in dirty converse shoes, blood stained blue jeans and a dirty red tracksuit top. In her hands she aimed a Springfield Armory M1911-A1 handgun.

Jason felt his body shake with adrenaline. He had to keep Carl safe but now he had an unconscious Michonne to worry about. They were outnumbered and outgunned three to two. Despite his desperation he couldn't think of a way to attack that would avoid Carl being injured or killed.

Carl stood still and kept his gun aimed at the head of the first man to have appeared. He knew their chances of surviving a gun fight with this new group would be slim but he hoped Jason would have a plan or that his Dad would come looking for them.

Jason felt cold steel pressed against the back of his neck. There was a fourth member of the group that now had them surrounded. He recognised the cold steel as the barrel of a gun. A cold shiver ran down his spine as any chances he had of making a move vanished with the fourth person's appearance.

"Drop your guns." A man's voice ordered. "Now!"

"You lower yours." Jason answered, trying desperately to hide his fear. "No one needs to get shot."

The man behind him laughed as Jason felt the barrel disappear from his neck. Jason turned to catch sight of the man but received a strong punch to the face that whipped his head around and brought him to his knees.

"Get off me!" Carl snarled suddenly.

Jason looked up and felt the blood drain from his face at the sight he was greeted with. The man had his left arm around Carl's neck, holding the boy in place easily. He was clearly a strong man. The man appeared to be military of some kind as his weapon of choice was an M16 assault rifle. He wore combat boots, dirty brown cargos and a dark green army jacket. As Jason observed the man he noticed something shocking above the long and dirty white beard. He knew the face. By the smirk that was plastered on it, the man had also just recognised Jason too.

"Well I'll be damned!" The old man declared loudly. "Long time no see, Jason!"

"Bill, I thought you were dead." Jason answered, standing back up on his feet.

Bill tightened his grip on Carl who continued to struggle. "I damn well should have been after you abandoned me!"

"I had no choice! There were hundreds of walkers." Jason countered the accusation. "Everyone else was dead and we didn't have enough ammo to take them all down."

Bill chortled incredulously at Jason's answer. "That sounds like a line of horseshit!"

"It's the truth!" Jason pressed.

"Bullshit!" Bill bellowed back. "You ran away and left me for dead you little shit!"

Jason decided it was wiser to not answer right away. There wasn't just rage in Bill's eyes, there was a touch of madness. It appeared that the poor man had lost his mind in the four months since they last met.

"You know, there's a herd of those zombies nearby. Why don't we fire a few shots and attract them this way?" Bill told him, knocking Carl to his knees. "I want to see if you'll abandon the boy and the bitch or try to save them."

"What happened to you, Bill?" Jason asked softly, making sure to not antagonise the man. "You weren't like this before."

"What happened to me?" Bill spat back. "What _happened_? You wanna know what fucking happened to me?!"

"_Bill, we need to leave now!" Jason ordered as he grabbed his bag. _

_Bill shook his head. "I'm not leaving these patients to die here like this."_

"_We can't stay! The herd will tear the building down!" Jason bellowed._

"_I told you that I'm not leaving." Bill bellowed back, his usual calm demeanour gone. "Now either stand like a man or run like a coward."_

"_If you stay here then you'll die and you won't get to save anyone else!" Jason continued to plead with the older man. "We need you alive."_

"_Those people in those wards need me. I'm not abandoning them!" Bill roared back. "If you don't try to save one life then you'll never save any!"_

_With that Bill rushed for the entrance to the hospital and aimed his weapon. By that point the herd were only a few feet away from the door. Several other members of the hospital group opened fire on the approaching sea of corpses, all of them with the same determination to protect their home and friends. Jason cursed and grabbed a gun from one of the boxes in the hallway. He ran to one of the ground floor windows and aimed the barrel of a Heckler & Koch PSG1 sniper rifle out the window. He started firing at the approaching wave of undead, the scope of the rifle making headshots very easy. At the same time Jason felt that the whole effort was pointless. They couldn't kill the whole herd before it reached the doors. _

_Bill backed away from the doors to reload his M16 as the walkers finally reached the doors. A couple people who had been too caught up in shooting were overwhelmed and devoured by the advancing horde. Jason rushed from the windows as more walkers started to smash them and crawl in. The walkers dropped into the rooms from the windows and forced themselves through the doors, spilling into the hallways like a deadly liquid. The narrow nature of the hallways meant that only so many walkers could come through at a time which made it easier to shoot them but more of them just kept coming. _

_Jason had discarded the empty rifle and had grabbed a police issue Remington 870 shotgun, firing it at the heads of the approaching corpses. Sweat rolled down his face as he continued firing with the other members of the hospital, his ears rang painfully from all the gunfire. Although it looked like he was standing to fight and protect the place, his mind was already trying to figure out a way to escape. All these guns and gunfire and they hadn't even made a dent in the advancing herd. The smell was overpowering, assaulting the senses and making their eyes water as the loud chorus of undead groans and snarls filled the air. Jason couldn't bring himself to remain in the hallway much longer. As he reloaded the shotgun, he noticed that Bill was still firing at the walkers, carefully shooting each one in the head with his M16. _

_A loud crash got Jason's attention as several more walkers had broken down various doors after entering through the ground floor windows. They were quickly filling in the entire building. Bill seemed unfazed as he continued to fire at the approaching monsters. Jason started backing up and only took shots at walkers that he felt were getting too close. Gunfire. Screams. Undead groans. The smell. It was just like that night. The night he lost his reason to live. The hospital was lost. There were too many walkers, too few people and not enough ammo. As Bill continued to shoot at the undead army Jason cursed himself and ran in the opposite direction. He owed Bill his life but Bill's stubborn refusal to accept defeat was going to get everyone killed. Jason didn't want to die. He wasn't ready. _

_Bill watched as Jason ran down the corridor, shooting walkers in the face with his shotgun as he went. The young man, the coward, was abandoning the hospital and everyone in it to certain doom just so he could save himself. They could have worked to guide the herd away together but now there was no hope. Bill was on his own against an army of undead cannibals. Bill's shots were fast and accurate, all of his bullets destroying the brains of the advancing corpses but they were beginning to surround him. _

_Bill turned around and kicked a walker onto its back before shooting the two that were behind it. He ran from the approaching walkers and made his way to the stairwell. He didn't bother trying to close the door behind him as the herd was following him like a flowing river of death. Bill ascended the stairs as fast as he could, his legs burning from the strain as his breath became laboured from the struggle to fuel his muscles with oxygen. The assault rifle was heavy in his arms and slowed him down. The hungry moans, growls and snarls of the monsters behind him echoed loudly in the stairwell._

_Bill reached the top of the stairwell and desperately shoulder barged the door open. The roof stretched out before him. He turned back around and kicked the closest walker in the chest with as much force as he could. The walker fell backwards down the stairs and created a domino effect on the walkers behind it as it crashed into them. Breathing a sigh of relief, Bill stepped out onto the roof and closed the door behind him. Before he allowed himself to relax he pulled out a knife and cut the wiring on one of the television antennas. Once he had a loose line of wire he tied one end to the door handle and the other end to the antenna, locking the door. _

_Bill breathed a sigh of relief and allowed himself to catch his breath. A loud gunshot echoed nearby which he turned his head towards the source of. The same sniper that had attracted the herd in the first place was still shooting at the walkers below, seemingly unaware or apathetic towards the destruction of the hospital. Bill growled with rage and without thinking pulled the trigger of his M16 and shot the man through the temple. He stormed over to the man's corpse and checked his pockets for anything useful. Once he was sure the man had nothing left to offer he rolled the body off the edge of the roof, allowing it to fall to the ground below like a peace offering to the herd. _

_Bill sighed as he studied his situation. He had limited supplies on the roof, was surrounded on all sides by a huge herd of walkers and had very little ammo left. He dropped to his knees before laying on his back to look up at the clouds. Everyone he had worked so hard to protect had either died or abandoned him. He was alone. _

"Once my water bottles ran dry, the only thing that kept me alive was rainwater." Bill finished explaining his side of that fateful day. "You did that to me."

Jason felt a mix of guilt and indifference. If he had had any idea that Bill would have survived then he would never have run away. However, Bill had made his own choices and Jason couldn't be held accountable for them.

"I was on that godforsaken roof for about two weeks." Bill continued. "That's when Zoey here came looking for supplies in the hospital."

"I'm sorry, Bill." Jason finally apologised, lowering his gaze and hoping no more violence had to take place.

"No. No you're not. Not yet." Bill hissed back and aimed his M16 at the back of Carl's head.

Upon seeing Bill's gun pressed against Carl's head Jason acted on instinct. He attempted to lunge forward towards Bill but didn't expect a powerful kick to come from the right. The young black man had kicked Jason onto his side and now hovered over him with his Uzi aimed at Jason's head. Jason closed his eyes in defeat. At least it would be quick.

Suddenly a gunshot rang out around them as blood splashed Jason's face. He opened his eyes in time to see the black man collapsed to the floor with a fresh bullet wound in his head. Bill, Zoey and the tattooed man scattered for cover as more shots rang out. They attempted to shoot back but their target was keeping themselves hidden in the trees. More loud gunshots rang out.

"Carl! Get down!" Rick's voice bellowed from the trees.

Carl did as his father instructed and dashed towards Jason, lowering his body as Jason instinctively wrapped an arm around him. The tattooed man took aim at the trees so Jason took the opportunity to get a free shot in and pulled the trigger of his own gun. Before the tattooed man could react the bullet exploded through his skull and ended his existence.

The woman, Zoey, dashed over and kept her gun aimed at Jason.

"Drop it!" She snarled.

Jason did as he was told and dropped his gun on the floor with another sigh of defeat. The woman was almost in tears at having witnessed two members of her group killed in front of her. Jason felt no sympathy for her.

Rick caught sight of Zoey hovering over Jason and his son so he dashed out from behind a tree in order to get closer. As soon as he did he was met with the butt of Bill's assault rifle. The older man had predicted him and caught him by surprise. Bill grabbed Rick by the collar of his shirt and dragged him over to where Michonne lay unconscious.

Zoey turned her attention to Bill, seeking comfort and guidance for what they were supposed to do next. As soon as she turned her head, Jason pulled out his machete and jumped to his feet. The young woman turned round just in time to see Jason swing the machete at her before it struck her in the neck, severing the arteries there and leaving her partially decapitated. She gurgled out blood as she tried in vain to cling onto life before dropping to the ground from blood loss.

"Carl, get behind cover." Jason told his lover. His tone was cold.

Carl did as he was told and ran for the trees. He didn't want to leave Jason alone with Bill but he knew better to argue with him. He realised that his father must have dropped the Colt Python on the ground somewhere and made it his mission to find it.

Jason aimed his pistol at Bill who aimed back at him with his assault rifle. Neither man pulled the trigger nor did they appear to want to in that moment.

"Oh, this is gonna be bad." Bill threatened. He already had Jason's punishment planned in his mind.

"You saved my life, Bill. I owe you my life." Jason pleaded with the old man across from him. "You were a good man who tried to help people."

"Until people like you decided to fuck me over!" Bill snarled back.

"The Bill I know didn't do it for any reward. He did it because it was the right thing to do." Jason continued desperately. "That good man must still be inside you somewhere. This can't be all that's left."

"The Bill you knew is dead!" Bill bellowed angrily. "Just like you and everyone you know soon will be!"

Jason sighed. He realised that Bill truly was too far gone in his own madness to be helped. The man he had met had indeed died in the hospital the day the herd attacked. The man standing before him was nothing but a ghost, a shell of his former self. Jason still didn't want to kill him though he knew he would inevitably have to.

Jason growled and fired his gun, shooting Bill in the shoulder so that he would drop the M16. As soon as the M16 hit the ground Jason rushed at Bill and threw a strong punch which connected with Bill's face. Bill staggered back before catching himself in time for the next punch which he side-stepped with surprising swiftness for a man of his age. Having taken Jason by surprise he struck Jason in the face with a punch of his own. Jason swayed to the side but remained on his feet but before he could react Bill was already on him with a strike to his head.

The strike to his head was strong enough to daze Jason, his vision blurry and his balance slightly off. Bill rushed in for another punch but Jason caught his arm and pulled the older man off-balance so that he stumbled into a tree. Once Bill's back was against the tree Jason started punching him in the gut and in the face. He punched Bill with all the strength he could muster, his fingerless gloves the only things stopping his knuckles from splitting open from the impacts.

Bill caught Jason by surprise and kneed him in the gut with enough force to temporarily wind the younger man. He followed it up with a powerful uppercut that slammed Jason's teeth together and sent him stumbling backwards as he tried not to fall on his back. By some miracle Jason managed to stay on his feet. He looked up and saw that Bill was already rushing towards him again. Jason lifted his leg in an attempt to kick the older man but in doing so he put all his weight on his injured leg. The gunshot wound compromised the strength of his leg and sent pain shooting through him, forcing Jason to lower his leg and abandon the kick.

Bill charged into Jason and knocked him onto his back on the ground. Before the young man could attempt to get up Bill landed on top of him with his knees pressing into Jason's chest. One hand gripped Jason's neck like a vice. He punched Jason multiple times before catching sight of a gun lying on the ground. The gun had belonged to Zoey. Different emotions flooded through Bill as he pushed the barrel against Jason's forehead, a crazed grin on his face as they both knew he had won the fight. Bill was moments away from vengeance.

A loud gunshot suddenly echoed around them as blood splattered over the ground next to Jason. Bill dropped the gun that had been in his hand and fell off of Jason onto his side. Jason looked at the body and discovered that Bill had been shot in the head. He turned to the direction of the shot to find Carl standing with Rick's Colt Python in his shaking hands.

Carl kept the gun in his hand as he rushed over to Jason who was sitting up, breathing heavily and bleeding. Carl instantly wrapped his arms around Jason's neck and held him close as Jason's own arms wrapped themselves around Carl's slim body. They remained in the embrace for several long moments. They had survived the attack. They were alive. They still had each other.

A couple loud hungry groans and snarls reminded them that they were in a world filled with danger. The gunshots and fighting had attracted nearby walkers and two of them were now in the clearing with them. The corpses snarled hungrily as they approached Jason and Carl. Before either of them could react the walkers foreheads exploded and they dropped to the ground.

Previously obscured from sight by the now dead walkers stood Sasha with her suppressed Custom AR-15 rifle in her hands. It was a relief to see her even if her arrival had been too late to stop the fight with Bill's barbaric group.

"Are you alright?" Sasha asked, rushing over to the two teens.

"We're fine." Jason answered with a nod.

Sasha glanced over and spotted the unconscious forms of Rick and Michonne. "What about them, are they okay?"

Jason nodded again. "Just unconscious. Nothing to worry about."

"What the hell happened?" Sasha questioned in shock, taking in the sight of the four dead bodies around them.

"I'll explain later." Jason answered, breaking the embrace with Carl to lift Rick. "Help me get Rick and Michonne back to the church before more walkers show up."

Sasha didn't argue and lowered her rifle. She picked up Michonne's sword and grunted as she lifted the unconscious samurai to her feet so she could be carried to the church. Jason grunted and struggled with the weight of Rick on him but focused on getting them moving. They could manage a five minute walk.

* * *

><p>"Who the hell were they?" Rick snarled at Jason. "They knew you. Why?"<p>

Jason sighed. His body, leg and face was throbbing with pain from the fight. His head was hurting from the revelation of Bill's survival and fate. His heart ached with guilt knowing that he had almost failed to keep Carl safe as Bill was fully prepared to kill him as punishment for what Jason had done.

"The old man, Bill. He saved my life four months ago." Jason explained. He lifted his shirt to show his knife scar. "I had been stabbed and was bleeding out. He nursed me back to health."

Rick glared at him. He needed more than that. He needed to know why the man was a threat.

"I woke up at a hospital, Harrison Memorial." Jason continued to explain.

Carl instantly glanced over at Rick. Rick also narrowed his eyes. It was the same hospital he had been in when he got shot. It had been abandoned when he woke up but it was in a good enough condition to function again. Rick believed him so far.

"He was the head doctor there. They had a small community of people." Jason continued, rubbing his forehead. "Everyone helped out. Then the sniper on the roof started shooting at a group of walkers."

Sasha, Tyreese, Rick, Carl, Michonne and Gabriel paid closer attention to his story. As soon as walkers were mentioned they knew something happened involving them.

"Turned out it was a herd. A huge one, maybe three hundred strong." Jason explained. "I tried to evacuate but Bill wanted to stay. We fought them off but it was futile."

Jason hung his head in shame as he continued.

"I decided it wasn't worth staying so I ran. I begged him to do the same but he refused." Jason explained. "I thought he died. One man versus three hundred corpses. How was I supposed to assume any different?"

Rick lowered his head and stared into Jason's eyes, studying him. "But he didn't."

Jason shook his head. "He made it to the roof. He was trapped up there for two weeks and blamed me for it."

"So he came after you?" Michonne asked, curious.

Jason shook his head again. "He didn't know it was me until we faced each other. It was a coincidence."

"Is there anyone else who blames you for anything?" Rick questioned him aggressively. "Anyone else we need to worry about?"

"No, he was the only one." Jason was intimidated by the look in Rick's eyes. It was as if he was looking for an excuse to kill him. "I thought he was dead so I never mentioned it."

"Dad, it wasn't his fault." Carl interrupted, earning a glare from Rick. "We survived, right?"

"This time." Rick countered. He didn't want to gamble with his son's life.

"That's all there is anymore. This time. Right here and right now." Carl retorted. He was upset by his father trying to pin the blame on Jason.

Before Rick could answer, Carl stormed away from the group and headed to the office. He slammed the door behind him, the bang echoing against the walls of the church hall.

"Whatever they planned to do, Rick." Jason added, getting the man's attention again. "They would have done anyway. I was just a bonus."

Rick wanted to respond, the look on his eyes made it clear but his mind couldn't organise what he wanted to say. He took a breath to calm himself down and nodded, accepting Jason's explanation. Jason wasn't sure if this action also absolved him of any blame for what happened but he knew better than to ask.

Judith's cries sounded from the front of the church. Rick responded immediately by marching over to his crying daughter to take up his responsibilities as a father. It was also a way for him to separate himself from the argument and give Jason some space.

Michonne decided to head outside and keep watch for any walkers or for Daryl and Carol. Wanting to distance himself from Rick and to give Carl some space, Jason decided to join her and closed the front door behind them. The cool night air hit his face as he sat down on the steps with the samurai.

* * *

><p>In the office Carl sat with his back against the door and with his knees curled up to his chest. He took deep breaths to try and calm himself down. He knew his father was just being protective but so soon after accepting his relationship with Jason it hurt. Carl knew they were lucky to be alive. His hands shook from shooting Bill. It was the first life he had taken since the battle at the prison and he didn't feel comfortable with having done it. Carl knew that it had been necessary and that he did it to save Jason's life but it wasn't something he wanted to get used to like Jason and his father had.<p>

As his thoughts were on Jason he noticed Jason's bag lying next to the bed. It had been placed there while they waited for Rick and Michonne to wake up. In an effort to take his mind off the argument and the horrific events at the lake, he took the opportunity to finally read the passage in Jason's diary he hadn't been able to finish.

Carl unzipped the bag and quickly found the black book, Jason's diary. He opened it up and skimmed through the pages, checking the dates before he came to the twenty-fifth of November. Although he had read the start of it before he chose to refresh his memory and start from the beginning again. This time he hoped he wouldn't be interrupted.

_Jason and Kellin sat down on Jason's bed. They had just got back from the cinema and as Jason's parents were away they had the house to themselves for the whole night. They were laughing at some small jokes Kellin was telling when Jason stopped the laughter momentarily. _

"_Having a good birthday then?" Jason asked the blonde with a smile. _

_Kellin nodded excitedly. "Best I've ever had."_

"_Well, there's still one last present I have to give you." Jason announced with a grin._

"_Oh? What is it?" Kellin asked. He was surprised that Jason had left it until late at night. _

"_Me." Jason announced with a smile and kissed Kellin softly. _

"_But I have you every day, silly." Kellin countered, using one of his many nicknames for Jason. _

"_Not like this." Jason answered._

_Jason then placed his hand on the inside of Kellin's thigh and kissed him strongly, his tongue sliding into Kellin's mouth to battle with Kellin's tongue. As their tongues continued to duel, Jason slowly slid his hand up Kellin's thigh until he was cupping his boyfriend through his jeans. _

_Kellin gasped at the sudden contact. It was rare for them to touch each other so intimately and they had never had full sex before. Kellin's heartbeat shot through the roof when he realised that's what Jason meant by having him. That was the final present of the day. _

_Jason smiled into the kiss as he felt Kellin harden through his jeans and removed his hand so he could pull at Kellin's shirt. He broke the kiss as Kellin raised his arms so his shirt could be pulled off easily and as soon as it hit the floor, Jason went for Kellin's collarbones, kissing and nipping them gently with his teeth. This earned him loud gasps from Kellin as he rubbed his lover's sides, his mouth and tongue finding Kellin's nipples. _

_Kellin let out a moan as he felt Jason's tongue flick and tease at one of his nipples. He was like mush under Jason's loving assault as this wasn't the result of both of them being horny or bored, this was a premeditated gift of love for Kellin's birthday. Another moan left Kellin's mouth as his other nipple received the same treatment. He was aching inside his jeans, knowing that it wouldn't be long before Jason made his way back down there. _

_Soon enough, Jason was kissing his way down Kellin's body until he reached the waistband of his skinny jeans. He undid the belt and button there before pulling them down off his legs. Jason was still fully clothed and he could tell that it frustrated Kellin slightly. He stopped for a moment to pull of his own shirt before returning his attention to Kellin. _

_Kellin let out a hiss of pleasure as Jason grasped him through his boxers, smirking at the reaction he received from his lover. Jason leaned forward and captured his lips again. The kiss was slow and loving as Jason continued to rub him through the fabric of his boxers. _

"_Fuck, Jason!" Kellin hissed as they broke the kiss. "So good!"_

_Jason chuckled lowly at his boyfriend's ecstatic reaction to his actions. _

"_Tonight I'm going to make you mine."_

_Kellin let out a low moan in response as Jason captured his lips again. Jason's hands came up to play with Kellin's blonde hair as their tongues battled each other lovingly. Despite being clad only in his boxers, Kellin found it blistering hot in Jason's room. Having Jason pressed against him felt amazing, so much so he could barely comprehend how pleasurable their love making was going to be. _

_Kellin's hands rubbed down Jason's back before making their way round his hips to his belt buckle. It was hard for Kellin to undo it with Jason crashing their lips together but he eventually managed to loosen the belt and undo the button on Jason's own jeans. Jason broke the kiss to pull off his own jeans leaving the two lovers in nothing but their boxers. _

_Jason leaned forward and attacked Kellin's neck with his mouth, leaving wet kisses all over it before biting down gently as he thrust his hips forward. Kellin gasped as they grinded against each other before groaning loudly in pleasure. Encouraged by the sounds his boyfriend was making, Jason continued to grind against him harder and slightly faster._

"_Jason, stop!" Kellin gasped out desperately. _

_Jason stopped instantly. "What's wrong?"_

_Kellin felt his face flush red as he stared back into Jason's concerned eyes. Despite the love and concern that was etched into his face, Kellin could see the intense underlying sexual hunger in Jason's eyes._

"_If you keep doing that I'll finish early." Kellin admitted in embarrassment. _

_Jason placed a kiss on his forehead and smiled. "That's okay."_

_Kellin smiled back and swallowed thickly as Jason made his way down his thin body. Jason stopped at the waistband of Kellin's boxers and slowly pulled them off, allowing Kellin's erection to proudly bob free. Kellin blushed fiercely as Jason stared up at him with a hungry smirk on his face. _

_Kellin moaned lowly as Jason enveloped his hardness with the warm, moist cavern of his mouth. He tried to control his breathing as Jason slowly moved his head up and down, his lips forming a tight seal against the skin of his shaft. With his eyes closed in pleasure thanks to Jason's hot mouth and whip-like tongue, Kellin could only hear the sound of a sealed container being opened but couldn't find the words to ask Jason what he was doing. _

_Kellin gasped loudly and opened his eyes in surprise as he felt something very cold pressing against his entrance. Jason's eyes met his own, freezing in place in case Kellin wasn't ready. He looked around and discovered that the sealed container that had been opened was a small jar of lubricant. He didn't know Jason had any. It made him wonder what other secrets Jason kept from him. _

_Once Kellin relaxed and accepted what was coming next, Jason resumed his ministrations. His mouth took in Kellin's hardness once again, his tongue flicking at the tip as his lubed finger gently slid into Kellin's entrance, opening him up as slowly as possible. Kellin hissed in pain before whining in pleasure as Jason made an extra effort to please him with his tongue. The mix of pain and pleasure was strange to Kellin and he wasn't sure what sounds to make. _

_Jason waited for Kellin to adjust to the first finger before he slid in a second finger just as slowly and gently as the first. Kellin took in a sharp breath, the pain being much greater this time causing him to momentarily tense up. Again, Jason waited for Kellin to relax before he began moving his two fingers around. As he scissored his fingers to stretch Kellin some more, he doubled his efforts with his mouth and was rewarded with loud moans of pleasure. _

_Jason could feel his lover throb inside his mouth and knew that he was close. His tongue continued to flick and lick at Kellin's shaft while his fingers searched for something inside him. Jason's fingers pressed against something inside Kellin that drew out a loud gasp of his name. He had found what he was looking for. _

_Kellin's moans intensified as Jason focused on pressing his fingers against that spot while his head continued to bob up and down along his shaft. Sweat trickled from his forehead as he screwed his eyes shut in pleasure. The familiar tight coiling in his lower abdomen the tell-tale sign of his impending orgasm. _

"_Jason!" Kellin cried out in pleasure as he fisted the bed sheets, bucked his hips and exploded into Jason's awaiting mouth. _

_Jason smiled after removing his mouth from Kellin and swallowed down his offering. It filled him with an intense blend of pride and desire to see Kellin panting from pleasure, his face and chest flushed red and his hairline damp with sweat. He did that. He had turned his lover into jelly. _

"_Fucking hell!" Kellin exclaimed as he got his breath back. _

_Jason kissed Kellin's jaw and smirked against it. "The best bit is yet to come, babe."_

_Kellin groaned in anticipation, knowing that the best part of his final birthday gift was about to happen. He watched with hungry eyes as Jason rid himself of his boxers and coated his rock hard erection with lube. Kellin could undoubtedly say that it was the single hottest thing he had ever witnessed. Jason was the hottest guy he had ever met. And he was his. His heart swelled with pride and love at how lucky he was to be with him. _

_Jason lifted Kellin's legs and lined himself up with his entrance. He looked into Kellin's eyes asking for permission one last time. As soon as Kellin nodded he slid himself inside and groaned as Kellin's tight warmth gripped onto him. Kellin let out a long moan at the feeling of Jason being inside of him as Jason let out an equally long moan. They stayed still for a few minutes, basking in the feeling of their union. They were physically linked for the first time, matching the emotional link they already shared. _

_Jason leaned forward and rubbed their noses together gently before kissing Kellin lovingly. _

"_I love you, Kellin." Jason declared sincerely, his face flush with pleasure. "Happy Birthday."_

"_I love you too." Kellin choked back, the emotional intensity of the moment almost overwhelming him. _

_With that said, Jason started to move, slowly thrusting in and then out. Kellin gasped as his body adjusted to Jason's length moving inside him and before long any discomfort was completely replaced by raw pleasure. He needed more. He needed it to be faster. He needed Jason. Kellin wrapped his legs around Jason as a sign for him to move. _

_Jason did not need to be told twice and increased the speed of his thrusts causing them both to moan and gasp with pleasure. Jason knew neither of them were going to last long so he focused on angling his thrusts correctly. Kellin shouted his name as the head of his erection struck the small bundle of nerves inside Kellin. Jason smiled and aimed for that spot repeatedly, thrusting harder against it. _

_With each thrust against his sweet spot, Kellin let out a high pitched moan. The feeling was indescribable as raw pleasure shot through his entire body like an electrical current. Just when he thought it couldn't get any better he felt Jason's hand wrap itself around his newly formed erection. Between the strong, fast and precise thrusts of Jason's hardness inside of him and Jason's skilled hand stroking him blindingly fast Kellin was overwhelmed with pleasure. _

"_Jason! I'm gonna…" Kellin called out, trying to warn his lover. _

"_I know, me too!" Jason called back, interrupting him._

_Jason continued to thrust into Kellin while stroking him as fast as he could in the position he was in. Pleasure was shooting through both of them with the same intensity and nothing was more overpowering than the love they felt for each other at that moment. Knowing that they were making love to the person they vowed never to be apart from was too much for both young men. _

_Kellin was the first to climax, his essence spilling out over Jason's hand and over his abdomen. The tightening of Kellin's inner walls around him was too much for Jason to take as he cried out Kellin's name and exploded inside of him. _

There was more to the passage but Carl had to stop reading. His face was flushed and his jeans were uncomfortably tight. The story had turned him on and he didn't know what to do. He couldn't risk doing anything in case someone came looking for him. The other problem was that he had never really done anything sexual before as the showers and cells at the prison meant there had been no true privacy. His hands shook as he stared at the page, amazed at the effect the story had on him and also amazed at the way two males could have sex. By the sounds of things, it did feel good but he couldn't imagine it.

The office door opened and Carl scrambled to put the diary back in Jason's bag but he was too slow. He turned his head towards the door and felt like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Jason was standing in the doorway.

Jason closed the door behind him and took in the situation before him. Carl was on his knees on the office floor, his bag was open and his diary was in Carl's hands. He recognised what passage it was even at a distance. The look of terror on Carl's face amused him somewhat but any joke he was about to make was instantly forgotten when he saw the bulge in Carl's jeans. Not only had Carl read the entire passage but it had got him hard.

Realisation quickly hit Jason and he felt himself flush with excitement. He was now alone in a room with Carl. His boyfriend, Carl. Not only that but Carl was rock hard under his tight jeans, a fact that caused Jason's own loins to stir. He could see that similar thoughts were going through Carl's excited mind. He could touch Carl if he wanted to, if Carl wanted him to. Rick knew about their relationship so there was nothing to hide and nothing to fear.

Jason took a breath and closed his eyes. He had to shut down that line of thought right away. Though they could do something if they wanted to, after the argument he had with Rick he didn't think it was wise to let Rick hear him doing sexual things with his son. They would need to wait until Rick was out on a run at some point.

It was only at that moment he remembered that he hadn't said anything to Carl who was still kneeling on the floor nervously.

"Relax, Carl." Jason cooed and raised his hand. "I'm not angry."

Carl's shoulders dropped as some of the tension left his body. He put the diary back in Jason's bag and stood up, the bulge in his jeans still visible. Jason closed the distance between them and hugged Carl close to him before removing the younger teen's hat so he could kiss him softly. Jason recognised the look in Carl's eyes. Hunger.

"Did you enjoy reading it?" Jason asked him nervously.

He didn't want to start anything sexual but he couldn't help but ask how Carl felt about what he had read.

Carl nodded nervously. "Can we do that sometime?"

Jason felt the air leave his lungs. What a question. It confirmed that it was definitely something Carl wanted to do in their relationship.

"Yeah, eventually." Jason answered, fighting to maintain his self-control. He wanted nothing more than to touch his young lover right there and then.

"Why not now?" Carl asked, lust clouding his better judgement.

Jason bit his lip. He could feel his resolve slipping and if Carl continued to ask provocative questions he would lose what little control he had left. He couldn't allow himself to slip up.

"I don't feel comfortable doing it with your Dad around." Jason explained slowly, calmly. "Maybe we can ask Michonne to take him on a run tomorrow, okay?"

Carl huffed in disappointment. He wanted to do something but Jason seemed to have an excuse for everything. He wondered if it was because he was too young, a reason he was getting sick of hearing.

"Is that really the reason or am I still too young?" Carl asked with irritation lacing his tone.

Jason didn't want another argument. He took Carl's hand in his own and guided it down to Carl's groin. Carl gasped as Jason pressed his hand against his clothed hardness. His heart pounded in his chest as Jason then guided Carl's hand to his own clothed erection. Carl let out a shaky breath as he palmed Jason through his jeans. Jason did want this as much as he did but refused to do it with Rick around.

Jason kissed Carl softly and smiled, releasing his hand. "Tomorrow. I promise."

Carl smiled back and nodded in acceptance. Jason led them over to the couch and pulled Carl onto it beside him after they had kicked off their boots. Carl instinctively cuddled in close to Jason's larger frame as they prepared to sleep. They shared another kiss before closing their eyes, wrapped in each other's embrace.

* * *

><p>Michonne held her sword in her hand at the ready should any threats come out of the darkness. Around her crickets and cicadas sang their nightly chorus. The night air was cool and still. The church door behind her opened as Father Gabriel came out. She quickly sheathed her katana.<p>

"Can't sleep." Gabriel told her as he sat down next to her.

Michonne didn't respond as her eyes continued to scan their surroundings.

"You know, sitting in there, in the quiet." Gabriel continued. "It isn't just what happened last night. Same as what happened before. That loud. I see it all again. I hear them."

Gabriel was referring to the dark and guilty memory of the night he locked his congregation out of the church.

"Yeah. That won't stop." Michonne rasped in response. "But it won't be all the time."

A rustling in the bushes to their right caught their attention. Michonne stood up and unsheathed her sword while Gabriel quickly made his way back inside. Michonne held her sword at the ready as she approached the bushes the rustling had come from. It was hard to see in the dark so she strained her ears to listen for more movement and prepared herself for the worst.

Suddenly, Daryl emerged from the darkness. He looked tired but he was alive. Michonne smiled in relief, happy to see him after everything that had happened in his absence. Then she saw the distressed look on his face and noticed that he was alone.

"Where's Carol?" She asked, expecting to hear bad news.

Daryl turned to the bushes behind him. "Come on out!"

* * *

><p><strong>And it is finally done! I apologise for having taken over a month to write this chapter. I was working over the winter, lost my motivation for a while, started a new daily routine and had a 2 year anniversary to celebrate. <strong>

**As a result, I decided to give you all a late Christmas gift in the form of a full lemon and hints of Jason/Carl stuff to come. I'm sure the video game reference will be easily spotted too. **

**I crammed a lot of development in this chapter simply because I don't know how the second half of Season 5 will be, so I decided to use this opportunity to do some necessary character development just in case I don't have an opportunity later. **

**Thanks for all the follows/favourites/kudos/subscriptions/bookmarks etc.**

**Thanks to the reviewers of chapter 11: Lavender1088, TheCowardlyGuest, heavensentsky, Rk0192, SaraP, jar98, Chancey and that one random guest.**

**Be sure to leave a review and let me know what your thoughts are ^^**

**Happy New Year everyone!**


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